Student Question
In Salvage the Bones, when Esch tells Manny she's pregnant, what is her goal? Does she still hope for his love?
Quick answer:
Esch tells Manny she is pregnant in hopes of receiving love, respect, and acknowledgment from him. However, Manny's reaction is dismissive and aggressive, as he is only interested in exploiting her. Despite Esch's desire for a meaningful connection, Manny's behavior indicates he is not capable of giving her the emotional support she seeks.
In Chapter 7, Esch finally tells Manny that she is pregnant. Randall has a big basketball game, so Skeetah and Esch to to school to watch. While there, Esch sees Manny arrive with another girl, and she gets upset, so she runs to the bathroom to cry privately. When she exits the stall, she sees that Manny is in the bathroom waiting for her. He pushes her into the stall, takes off her clothes, and tries to have sex with her. Esch forces Manny to look her in the face, and then Manny feels how large her belly has become, and these clues are enough to reveal the pregnancy. Manny is angry and pushes Esch onto the floor. Esch wants love, respect, and acknowledgement from Manny, which is why she forced him to look her in the eye, but obviously Manny is only interested in taking advantage of Esch.
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