Bois Sauvage is a fictional town on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the setting of the novel Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward. The name of the town means wild or untamed woods and signifies the way in which life in the area is harsh and differs from that of wealthier parts of the United States. The novel is set in 2005, during the preparation for and arrival of Hurricane Katrina, the event that inspired Ward to write the story.
The first type of deprivation that affects the characters of the story is lack of access to medical care. Mama bears her children at home with no medical assistance and eventually dies in childbirth. Daddy is an alcoholic with no access to counselling or rehabilitation, and when he injures his hand lacks proper follow-up care. Esch is 15 years old, has been sexually active since she was 12, and seems to be following her mother's path in lacking access to sexual education, birth control, and prenatal care. She also has not been taught that she is in control of her own body and free to make her own choices; instead she allows herself to be sexually molested:
“And it was easier to let him keep on touching me than ask him to stop, easier to let him inside than to push him away, easier than hearing him ask me, "Why not?" It was easier to keep quiet and take it than to give him an answer.”
The children's opportunities are limited by their poverty. As a pregnant teen, Esch is unlikely to complete her schooling and find a good job. Randall cannot afford the basketball camp that might lead to a college scholarship.
On the other hand, the youngsters form close bonds with each other, and develop considerable initiative in foraging for food and preparing for disaster. They collaborate to take care of the dog China and her puppies. The community is close knit, with people helping each other as much as they can.
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