Jesmyn Ward is a famous author of African American Literature from Mississippi. In her 2011 National Book Award-winning story, Salvage the Bones, she dives deep into the story of Esch—a 15-year-old mother-to-be who battles far more than her fair share of obstacles—poverty and a deceased mother are only two that further complicate her young, single pregnancy. The novel is riddled with metaphors and allusions, yet one stands out above the rest. The various representations of water, including stored drinking water, raging storm floods, and the hurricane itself symbolizes the chaos in Esch's life.
One of the first times that water is discussed in the novel is during one of Daddy's aggressive panics before the storm. Once he catches wind of the
