Milk Wood is a small forest near the town of Llareggub. The wood has a reputation for being the place where the local people go to conduct illicit affairs. Anyone wishing to indulge their passions out of sight of the rest of the town can be found in Milk Wood. People are aware of this, for better or for worse. While many residents of Llareggub use Milk Wood for romantic rendezvous, others disapprove of the “sinful” passions that the forest represents. Many people closely watch the road up to the forest, chattering and gossiping about who is visiting the wood. For Jack Black, gossiping is not enough: Milk Wood represents a form of sin that must be driven from the world. He takes it upon himself to chase the sinners through Milk Wood, revealing their misdeeds to the world. Between the gossip and the harassment, however, people continue to visit Milk Wood. The townspeople, in all aspects of their lives, are caught in a familiar, seemingly unbreakable routine. The wood has become a part of this routine, so its existence is tolerated.

Milk Wood becomes an essential part of the town’s understanding of sin and love. Milk Wood is physically separate from the town, meaning that those who wish to pursue their romantic endeavors must leave Llareggub to do so.