The Marrow Thieves Overview

Questions and Answers

Who is the author of The Marrow Thieves?

Cherie Dimaline

In Marrow Thieves, now that there aren't so many cities, what do all of the city names have in common?

directions (West City, Northeast Metropolis, Southern Township)

In Marrow Thieves, what do Mitch and Frenchie find while scavenging at the beginning of the book?

a bag of Doritos

In Marrow Thieves, what is Frenchie's real name, that only mom called him when he was in trouble?

Francis Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what are the school truancy officers called?

Recruiters Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what does the logo on the Recruiters' windbreakers say?

Government of Canada: Department of Oneirology Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what direction is Frenchie supposed to head?

north or northeast Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what animal with 'prehistoric teeth' does Frenchie see huddled as a family under a store awning?

guinea pigs Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what bodies of water have become industry-plundered and poisonous?

the Great Lakes Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what is the name of the place from where Mom disappeared?

the Friendship Center Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, while Frenchie is in the woods, what pains so badly that it makes him consider fixing it with a rock?

his molar, his tooth Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, how many children are part of Miig and Minerva's group?

seven Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what does Miig keep around his neck?

a shoelace holding a pouch [his heart] Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what does Miig keep around his neck rather than in his chest because it is too dangerous?

his heart Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, in Miig's stories, why does he say the warriors lost a lot?

they got sick with new germs which caused fevers and pukes Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, which member of Miig's group very rarely talks, and only laughs and screams?

Minerva Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what event caused most of the northlands to go underwater?

The Melt Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what conflict caused the rivers to be directed south and east, the lakes to become polluted, and America 'sipping on our lakes'?

the Water Wars Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what is the purpose of Miig's Story?

to set the memory in perpetuity Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, who is not allowed to hear the Story?

RiRi Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, how old is RiRi?

7 Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, which character was pretty messed up after hearing Story at too young of age?

Slopper Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, who is the oldest of the children in Miig's family?

Chi-Boy Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what is the signal that something is coming?

a low whistle with a fluttering end Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what has happened to California?

it is in the ocean Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, when the people started to get sad, what happened to their sleep?

they stopped dreaming Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, how often does Miig tell Story?

once a month Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what are the names of the two groups the family splits into and takes turns doing?

Homesteaders and Hunters Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what type of collection do the twins have?

rocks Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, which character is in charge of the 'important things' like who has to cook and how they have to do it?

Wab Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what are the names of the twins?

Zheegwon and Tree Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, the language word 'nishin' translates to what English word?

good Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, ever since the North started melting, what weather pattern seems to happen all the time?

rain Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what item do the Hunters share in order to keep track of each other and the day?

wristwatch Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what is the alarm noise for a problem while hunting?

an eagle screech Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what animal does Frenchie see for the first time while out hunting?

a moose Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, which character rushes ahead when the rest take their time, is the last to fall asleep, and eats little?

Wab Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what were they calling the dreamlessness when it first started?

a plague of madness Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what is motivating both the family and the Recruiters?

survival Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, while hunting, who does Wab see in the woods?

two Indian men (one is the man who tricked her into taking a decoy message) Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, who touches the potentially electrified fence at Four Winds Resort?

Frenchie Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what is one treasure Frenchie finds behind the front desk of the Four Winds Resort that everyone must ration?

water Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what is the name of the dog from the old-timey story that Minerva tells at the Four Winds Resort?

Rogarou Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what does Minerva say she hit the Rogarou with?

a dipper Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what does Minerva say stops a Rogarou from killing?

if met without fear Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, how does the family keep the feeling of togetherness while sleeping at the Four Winds Resort?

they leave their doors open Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what trait do all of Rose's family members have in common?

they're all short Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, which character is missing an eye?

Wab Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, before the cities were emptied, people could make good money by betraying their neighbors, doing what?

snitching on Indians Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, before the cities emptied out, what was Wab's way of life that helped her get food?

running, being a messenger Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, why is Wab's mother incapable of taking care of her?

she's an alcoholic and later a drug addict Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, before the story begins, new migration from where was changing geography daily?

coastlines Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, for what reason were indigenous people at first requested to participate in medical trials?

to figure out why they could dream and others couldn't Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, when indigenous people didn't willingly volunteer for the dream medical trials, who did they look to next?

indigenous people in prison Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what solution was created to keep indigenous people together so they could study their dream abilities?

residential schools Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, while at Four Winds Resort, whose room are they all sleeping in by the next morning?

Frenchie's Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what does RiRi think the pink rubber boots she finds at the Four Winds Resort are made of?

candy Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, who was Isaac?

Miigwan's husband Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, how many people came to stay with Miig and Isaac at their cabin?

three Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what does the younger of Miig and Isaac's houseguests show Miig in the middle of the night?

her black monitoring anklet Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what route could Miig and Isaac have taken to escape the house?

through the cellar Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, when Frenchie climbs a tree because the family smells fire, what does he see?

a construction site building a new school Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, when the family cooks squirrels on their new hibachi, what does Minerva teach everyone the new word, 'abwaad,' to mean?

cooking on a fire Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what does Chi-Boy find at Four Winds Resort and later give to Wab while she slept as a kind of present?

a white tapper hat Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what does RiRi find and plan to use as a toy, but the rest of the group panics over?

a lunch box with a superhero on it and a fresh sandwich inside Signup and view all the answers

In Marrow Thieves, what are the names of the two travelers that the family meets in the forest?

Travis and Lincoln Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Author and Setting

Author of The Marrow Thieves is Cherie Dimaline.
In a changed world with diminished cities, city names often reflect directions (e.g., West City, Northeast Metropolis).

Characters and Relationships

Frenchie's real name is Francis, used by his mother when he was in trouble.
Seven children are part of Miig and Minerva's group; Chi-Boy is the oldest.
Wab oversees cooking and responsibilities within the group.
Minerva, a member of the group, speaks very little and communicates mostly through laughter and screams.
RiRi is 7 years old and not allowed to hear Miig’s Story.

Story Elements and Themes

Miig keeps his heart around his neck in a pouch for safety, rather than in his chest.
Miig's Story serves to preserve memory across generations.
The story references historical conflicts like the Water Wars that have transformed landscapes and water sources.

Environmental and Societal Changes

The Great Lakes have become polluted and industrially exploited.
California is submerged in the ocean due to drastic climate changes known as "The Melt."
The concept of a "plague of madness" arose when people stopped dreaming, a symptom of societal despair.

Survival Mechanisms

Survival drives both the family and the Recruiters, who hunt indigenous people for their ability to dream.
Techniques for survival include splitting the group into “Homesteaders” and “Hunters” and sharing resources like a wristwatch for tracking time.

Miscellaneous Facts

Wab's mother struggles with addiction, impacting her ability to care for her child.
The twins, Zheegwon and Tree, collect rocks, while also showcasing the innocence of childhood amid turmoil.
Miig tells his Story monthly to maintain cultural memory and address the harsh realities faced.

Significant Events

Frenchie finds a bag of Doritos while scavenging early in the story.
A low whistle signals danger or trouble while hunting.
An encounter with a potentially electrified fence reveals dangers faced by the group.

Encounters and Discoveries

Frenchie’s experiences include seeing a moose for the first time and discovering a construction site, symbolizing the ongoing societal changes.
The family finds treasures like water while scavenging but must ration them carefully.

Cultural Significance

Stories shared within the group, such as Minerva's tale of the Rogarou, explore themes of fear and bravery.
"Nishin," meaning "good" in their language, reflects cultural roots and the struggle to maintain identity in a precarious world.

Gripping Details

The twins' collection of rocks signals normalcy amid chaos.
The acknowledgment of the psychological and physical burdens the characters bear brings depth to their survival narrative.

Concluding Notes

The resilience and unity of the group emphasize the importance of community in the face of systemic challenges and existential threats.
The novel mixes elements of tragedy, survival, and hope, drawing a poignant parallel to real-world issues faced by indigenous peoples.

Studying That Suits You

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Description

Explore the key elements of The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, including character relationships, story themes, and the environmental changes depicted in the novel. This quiz will test your understanding of the characters' roles and the significance of Miig's Story in preserving memories.