D'Addabbo Esch and Medea

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    Esch makes many references to Medea and Jason's relationship when referring to her situation with Manny. Manny plays a large role in Esch's life. He is unknowingly the father of her child and seems to be the love of her life. Unfortunately for Esch, Manny has a girlfriend, one who is described to be
"skinny, light skinned, and crazy" (Ward 56) . Esch feels possessive over Manny even though he was
never her boyfriend, "I loved him before that girl. I imagine this is the way Medea felt about Jason
when she fell in love, when she knew him; that she looked at him and felt fire eating up through her
rib cage, turning her blood to boil, evaporating hotly out of every inch of her skin" (Ward 56). This
quote demonstrates both of these woman feelings towards love and how it basically tore each of them
apart.
     Esch loves Manny full heartedly and he does not even realize how she feels. This rejection
must have driven her to insanity, which lead to the breakdown she has when she confesses her love to Manny later in the book. Medea felt insanity when she was forced to choose her father or love. The betrayal she committed against of her father almost destroyed her. Restraint and betrayal are two different types of insanity that almost drives these woman to the brink. Even though they are from completely different worlds the lengths of what Medea and Esch put themselves through for love is what connects them.



This is an oil painting created in 1759 of Medea and Jason. The painting depicts Medea stepping into the dragon drawn chariot she had prepared on the roof so she could easily leave after poisoning her sons and Jasons new bride. It currently resides in Musée des beaux-arts de Pau. 



I think that this photo perfectly describes Esch at the end of the novel. She has accepted that she will be a single mother, with the help of her family of course. Being a black, impoverished, pregnant, teenager is a very hard feat and she is prevailing and moving ahead strongly. 
















Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 30, 2017 at 11:18 AM

    I think you made your point clear with the quote you put in, and there is a clear meaning. Medea and Esch were both "driven to insanity," which is part of why the "boyfriends" do not connect with them. The farther away the boys try to get from them, the more insane they become. In a way, I can connect it to "Into the Wild" because with the more and more adventure Chris is engaged in, the more he feels connected to nature. While Jason and Manny ignore the females, nature straight up kills McCandless.

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