46 pages • 1 hour read
Cherie DimalineThe Marrow Thieves
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2017A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
The novel contains allusions to fundamental symbols of Indigenous culture. Pick three of these allusions and explain their significance both culturally and within the context of the novel.
Dimaline frequently references climate change throughout the novel. What, in her opinion, is the primary cause of climate change? What does she suggest is the way forward after climate disaster?
Why does Frenchie behave the way he does around Derrick?
Minerva is both a character and a symbol throughout the novel. What does she represent?
Throughout the novel, Dimaline often has characters mention the residential schools of the past. What were the residential schools, and how do they compare, literally and figuratively, to the schools of the post-apocalyptic world in the novel?
Characters in the novel often sing in critical moments. Give examples of where song appears and what it represents in those instances.
Frenchie often mentions his own dreams during the story. What dreams does he have, and what do they represent?
Why does Frenchie choose to follow Rose instead of staying with his father, Jean?
Before they attempt to rescue Minerva, Miig gives Frenchie the pouch that he carries. What does the pouch symbolize, and why does Miig choose to give it to Frenchie in that moment?
In Dimaline’s post-apocalyptic future, dreams are precious. Why do Natives retain the ability to dream when everyone else loses that ability? Why is the ability to dream so important?
Related Titles
By Cherie Dimaline
