Marrow Thieves Conflicts

In "The Marrow Thieves" Cherie Dimaline addresses three main categories of conflicts: character vs. society, character vs. self, and character vs. character. Cherie Dimaline conveys a message on the importance of identity and the ability to persevere through these challenges. The plot centers on indigenous peoples who are attempting to maintain their culture and forge relationships in a discriminatory post-apocalyptic society. The author, Cherie Dimaline, illustrates the difficulties experienced by indigenous groups by incorporating both internal and external conflict into the story. Through the novel, Cherie Dimaline dispels the stereotypes that people hold about native people.

In "The Marrow Thieves," Frenchie's struggle to understand the

Self is expressed in Frenchie's internal struggle as he faces the harsh realities and challenges of perseverance, and the need to keep persevering to maintain his cultural identity. While Frenchie is struggling to persevere through the hard times, Chi-Boy helps by saying "Sometimes you risk everything for a life worth living, even if you’re not the one that’ll be alive to live it" (Dimaline 137). This gives Frenchie a profound realization that he is not running only for his survival but because his sacrifices may be necessary for a better future, even if he does not personally get to witness this better future. Frenchie's identity as an Indigenous person becomes central to this conflict as he continues on with the burden of preserving his culture and heritage amongst a world determined to exploit it. His lack of perseverance during this critical moment reflects the overwhelming weight of his responsibility and the unknowings of his future. Frenchie's internal struggle represents the challenges many individuals face when confronting their place in society and the sacrifices they must make to protect what they hold dear, even in the face of intimidating

person through Frenchie's profound realization of the impact of loss when he hears about the heartbreak of his friend, Miigwans. As they are running from the possibility of losing their cultural identity. Frenchie's curiosity about Miigwans' own escape story occurs, hoping that the knowledge of it would add to their plan. However, he chooses not to ask, suddenly sensing the weight of Isaac's loss, another friend who fell victim to the schools, “He'd lost someone he'd built a life with right in the middle of that life. Suddenly, I realized that there was something worse than running, worse even than the schools. There was a loss.” (Dimaline 99). The impact of this loss becomes very apparent as Frenchie realizes that losing loved ones is worse than running or even schools. The emotional hardships they endure is the pain of losing someone dear amongst their shared struggles. Miigwans story gives Frenchie the realization that he needs to persevere and to not only continue running but to also hold his loved ones