Self-Discovery In Cherie Dimaline's The Marrow Thieves

Empiricism is the reality of life; our minds are born as blank slates, and experiences both good and bad mould us through the odyssey of life. Cherie Dimaline’s The Marrow Thieves depicts the journey of self-discovery in the story of Frenchie, as he travels northward with his newfound family through an oppressive world. Throughout their journey, Frenchie and his family realise how personal trauma hinders growth and discover that to reach one’s full potential, one must overcome the trauma that holds them back. Only by confronting past trauma head-on, finding support in a community of those who have done the same, and resisting oppressive systems that seek to strip individuality away in favour of perpetuating cycles of trauma, can one break free

However, through sharing experiences with a supportive community of individuals who have undergone a similar journey, one finds solace in the resulting sense of belonging, a feeling instrumental to the process of overcoming hardship. As the respected leader of the group, Miig assumes the responsibility of offering guidance to those in need. When Frenchie’s guilt following Lincoln's murder in retaliation to RiRi's death consumes him, he turns to Miig for wisdom: “‘Thing is French, sometimes you do things you wouldn't do in another time and place. Sometimes the path in front of you alters. Sometimes it goes through some pretty dark territory’… He put his right hand in the centre of my chest” (Dimaline 141). Miig’s metaphor of a dark path leading to unpredictable challenges stresses the trauma that emerges from anguishing experiences. However, Miig’s hand upon Frenchie’s chest contrasts this metaphor by creating a physical connection that emphasises the importance of acknowledging one's struggles and recognising the validity of seeking support from others. As life’s journey unfolds, sharing experiences and individual histories not only brings personal comfort and a sense of belonging, but also forges deeper connections. Nowhere is this clearer than in the relationship between Rose and Frenchie, particularly when Rose reveals her coming-to story during their stay at the Four Winds resort: “‘I stayed by

Nevertheless, through individual resistance against traumatic forces that seek to destroy individuality exemplifies humanity's capacity for fortitude. Amidst an oppressive world, Miig's hospitality towards a group of individuals he believes are lost Anishinaabe highlights the goodness within humanity juxtaposed against the iniquity of society. However, when one of the group members approaches Miig with a warning, he realises the truth: “‘I can’t do this no more. You and your man gotta run.’ I pushed her hand away from my face, noticing the way it shook.”... That’s when she pulled up her pant leg and I saw the black ankle monitor, blinking red in the dark like a buoy” (Dimaline 104). Miig's initial belief that he was helping lost Anishinaabe shatters when he sees the ankle monitor on the girl, a symbol of her captor’s oppressive force aimed at subjugating and erasing her identity. In the face of captors that demand her compliance, the girl bravely speaks out, standing for her convictions and morals while asserting her own right to exist as a unique individual. While the girl’s resistance serves as a powerful example of the transformative potential of reclaiming individual identity, the road to systemic change is through even bolder steps of rebellion. When Miig comes across boxes filled with harvested remains of his people, he takes it upon himself to