Family Theme Analysis in The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

Over the course of a person's lifetime people come and go, and when faced with hardships they tend to value becoming aware of the importance of a caring family and the positive impact they have on their life.  Cherie Dimaline’s novel The Marrow Thieves allows readers to gain a deeper understanding of an Indigenous family who are forced to face oppression.  Despite being faced with challenges, Frenchie’s family attempted to prevail through, but many were lead to sacrifice themselves for the safety of their loved ones. Along their journey, they learned not only about each other and their family dynamic, but also more about the Indigenous culture and history.  As the story progresses, the characters become closer to one another and are able to comfort each other in difficult situations.  Family can be defined as genuinely loving someone and providing them with care, which was expressed by the author through Frenchie, as well as his biological and chosen family. 

Through their acts of selflessness and willingness to protect each other, even if it results in them losing their own lives, the novel The Marrow Thieves illustrates the true meaning of family. Sacrifice is an act of selflessness which was displayed throughout the novel. In the beginning, Frenchie’s brother Mitch, risks his own life in hopes of saving Frenchie from the Recruiters. “‘ Now. Move it Francis!...Tabernacle! Come get me devils!’” ( Dimaline, 3). Mitch states this line when the Recruiters find them. Instead of allowing the Recruiters to take them both, Mitch draws attention to himself, allowing his brother to escape. When Frenchie is alone he realizes there is nothing he could do for his brother except live since “‘ Mitch had sacrificed himself so [he] could live.’” ( Dimaline,7). One of the meanings of family, which is to protect one another even if it results to self-sacrifice, is defined in the beginning of the novel when this event occurred. Mitch’s decision to sacrifice his life for his only family remaining Frenchie, displays his acts of willingness and love for his little brother’s safety. Through his courageous actions Mitch shows how family is meant to protect and provide comfort for each other. Family members look out for one another and do things out of the best interest for each other. Putting others and their needs before themselves describes Minerva’s selfless actions when making the brave decision to sacrifice her life for her family, which results to the Recruiters only taking her. After realizing what occurred, Frenchie was filled with sadness and surprise that “‘Minerva had moved the ladder sometime in the night, before the Recruiters woke [them]... she’d sacrificed herself and allowed [them] to remain hidden.’” ( Dimaline, 151). Minerva was a loving, self sacrificing woman who through her words and actions showed how she truly cared about protecting and assuring the well-being of her family instead of allowing the Recruiters to take her family she willingly gives herself and life to them, ensuring her family's safety. Minerva’s and Mitch’s actions display the strong bond and love they have for their family, and one of the real meanings of family which is to protect each other no matter what.

Family offers a greater understanding of the world and provides one another with knowledge. On their journey, the adults of the family provide the kids with their wisdom and knowledge of the Indigenous culture and world, as well as teaching them important life skills along the way.  Over the course of the story Minerva , the elder of the group has been teaching the children about the Indigenous culture and history. With the Cree language she teaches them about the importance of maintaining the Indigenous identity, as well as allowing them to have a deeper connection with their history and traditions. Early on in the novel, Frenchie feels sympathy for the girls because they are stuck with Minerva, while the guys learn from strong Miigwans. After discussing with Rose he questions her how she knows the language she responds with “‘ Minerva. Minerva has language…’” ( Dimaline, 38). Frenchie then realizes the importance of the wisdom and intelligence Minerva offers them. Teaching one another is a critical aspect of family, since it allows others to gain knowledge and grow from your experiences and lessons. In addition to Minerva’s lesson, Miigwan has been connecting the kids with Indigenous history through storytelling and teaching them the importance of having survival skills during this time for their own safety. With these teachings the family becomes stronger mentally and physically. When teaching the kids about story Miigwan states “‘ We go to the schools and they leach the dreams from where our ancestors hid them, in the honeycombs of slushy marrow buried in our bones. And us? Well, we join our ancestors, hoping we left enough dreams behind for the next generation to stumble across.’” ( Dimaline, 90). This educates them about keeping each other safe and trying to put an end to the oppression they are facing, or else their life will come to an end as their ancestors. As a family they learn and grow from each other, well becoming closer and deepening their bond. Miigwan storytelling not only interests the kids, it informs them about their heritage and allows them to understand the horrific oppression they were forced to face. Miigwan and Minerva are the eldest of the family and are full of great knowledge and wisdom, which they teach the kids in hopes of keeping their culture and history alive.

Family is a strong bond full of love, support and comfort as well as being able to overcome difficulties and arguments together. These characteristics help create a stronger relationship between members of the family and occurs the more time they spend together and learn about one another. When seeking for love and support family is always present, which was presented in the novel on several occasions. After arguing with Rose about his jealousy, it leads her to make a decision of going her own way and leaving her family behind. After discussing happiness and his mother with his father Jean, Frenchie realizes that his feelings for Rose are too much to ignore and he goes after her. “‘ He took off running, away from the camp, the council, [his] family: Running towards Rose… running towards an idea of home that [he] wasn’t willing to lose, not even if it meant running away from the family [he] already found.’” (Dimaline, 217) As a family they are able to comfort and support each other. Frenchie’s decision to go after Rose illustrates how he has matured and is safe and secure with this decision. Frenchie’s decision is supported by the two who he considers as father figures, as Jean encouraged him to go be with his source of happiness Rose. Miigwan supports him to go after his future as he stated earlier that he knows Frenchie is a good man and is “‘Ready to take responsibility…’” (Dimaline, 182) for a family of his own. When put in a difficult situation full of fear, family is there to comfort each other no matter what. Frenchie and his family’s actions display to readers how they have become closer and are able to provide one another with comfort and care. After Frenchie wakes up in the Four Winds resort, he notices Minerva, who is “‘ Sitting in one of the tufted chairs in front of the fireplace in [his] room.’” (Dimaline, 74) He then realizes everyone “‘ Crammed into one room’” (Dimaline, 74) and how “‘ Slopper drooled on the pillow beside [him] and Rose was stretched out...beside RiRi…[their] feet trapped under… Tree and Zheegwon...’” ( Dimaline, 74). As well as “‘ Chi-Boy who was stretched out beside the bed’” ( Dimaline,74)  and “ Besides him was Wab.’” ( Dimaline, 74)  When everyone ends up in Frenchie’s room it displays their love for one another, as well as how they can seek safety and comfort from each other. Their actions and behaviour shows how they operate like a real family and feel secure with each other instead of alone. Throughout the novel readers are shown the loving bond between the members of his family, even when faced with challenges. Blood or not they all equally care about the well-being and safety of each other.

Frenchie’s family’s loving bond was displayed to show readers how they all truly care for the safety and well-being of one another. Throughout the story, Cherie Dimaline illustrates how Frenchie was affected by how the people he loved and cared for were forced to surrender their lives in order to keep the others safe. From the lessons learned from his family he was able to expand his knowledge about his culture, as well as becoming a responsible and comforting adult. Being with family day and night and overcoming obstacles together allowed Frenchie to become closer to everyone. Frenchie and his family’s relationship during this journey displayed the true meaning of family. Along the way they learned not only about each other but the world they live in and what it once was.