The Marrow Thieves Theme Analysis Essay Sample

Having an understanding in life is a key value as Nellie McClung once stated “People must know the past to understand the present, and to face the future.” By being able to understand what is going on in the world by relating it through a book, it will be easier to comprehend occurring world issues. As evident in “The Marrow Thieves” by Cherie, Dimaline currently has strong topic connections to things revolving around the world. It discusses real-world issues such as Indigenous Oppression, trauma from rape/sexual harassment, Climate Change and many other issues/problems. This book is well-rounded in the social injustice topics for Grade 9 English and is a good book choice to keep in the curriculum. A conflict in the story is where Indigenous people are being taken away for their bone marrow. Their marrow is then used for sleeping medicine by the government without caring about the consequences of others losing family or the loss of life, without the government considering this. This is a reference of how kids would be taken away from their families and no one was stopping and did not care for, for a very long time. Throughout the story, the effects of climate change are mentioned and are something that can be compared and contrasted to the present-day climate change crisis. Throughout the book, in-depth detail is which is provided through the description of the setting and how it affects the characters in the story. Therefore, “The Marrow Thieves” should be offered as a choice novel in grade 9 because as a result, it helps students connect topics in the text to modern-day issues.

One of the ways in which this story demonstrates modern-day issues is by setting described as “The Great Lakes were polluted to muck. It took some doing, It took some doing, but right around the time California was swallowed back by the ocean, they were fenced off, too poisonous for use.”(Damiline 24). Taking place in the future this is a foreshadowing warning us to be aware of what we are doing. They show the severe effects of global warming and how they do not just noticeably able have an impact on nature, but also on humans. As they show this issue is something is a global matter, showing the different effects from the North to the South. Humans have not become aware of this occurring issue, being too late to do anything. This shows that we should now take action to make a change before it is too late.

In Illustrate another point, the novel demonstrates the connection to real-life through the conflict as the Indigenous people the group sing 

“Way ya, hey ya, hey ya, way ha 

I don’t know where we’re going 

Don’t know where we’ve been

Way hey ya 

All I know is I’ll keep walking 

Can’t get taken in 

Way hey ya” (40, 41).

This quote demonstrates evidence of the cycle of oppression towards Indigenous people. About half a century later, in 2050, after banning the last batch of boarding schools, they began to capture the indigenous people again and place them in similar boarding schools, where they were treated poorly. This is something that is able to reflect on as deemed ok for a very long time.

By analogy, we can conclude The Marrow Thieves s a good way for students to have the ability to connect in-text themes to the real world making them aware of the issues happening around them.  therefore should be kept in the grade 9 English curriculum. Through the setting of global warming & conflict of Indigenous oppression. These in-text topics will help students have something to connect to real life and maybe a useful asset to their education comfort and may inspire them to make a change.