In Cherie Dimaline’s novel The Marrow Thieves, she creatively uses multiple forms of literary devices to help readers understand and connect to the themes and variety of conflicts partaking throughout the novel.
Point: Cherie uses figurative language in the form of metaphors when describing how afraid Frenchie feels when the recruiters arrive.
Proof: "I felt my throat tighten to a pinhole" (3)
Explanation: In this quote, she is comparing the size of Frenchie's throat to a pinhole. This causes readers to imagine how his throat was tightening my comparing it to a very small object. This also causes us to understand how frightened Frenchie was at this moment and how the fear had physically affected him by causing his throat to tighten.
Point: Cherie uses figurative language in the form of similes when describing the brutality Frenchie witnesses Mitch deal with.
Proof: "Mitch was carrying on like a madman in the tree house. Yelling while they dragged him down the ladder and onto the grass. I heard a bone snap like a young branch." (3)
Explanation: Here, Dimaline compares Mitch to a madman. This helps readers understand Mitch's behaviour and helps explain his actions. By referring him to a madman, readers get the idea that he is angry and behaving extremely foolish and reckless. She also compares Mitch's bone breaking to the sound of a young branch snapping. This allows readers to hear the bone snap and visualize the conflict occurring more accurately.
Point: Cherie also uses figurative language in the form of similes when describing Frenchie's reaction to holding onto the tree for a long time.
Proof: "I wanted to let go. I wanted to take my arms off the trunk and fold them to my chest like a mummy, loosen my thighs from their grip, and fall in a backwards swan dive to the bottom." (4)
Explanation: In this quotation, Dimaline compares Frenchie's folding arms to a mummy and compared him loosening his thighs and falling to a backwards swan dive. These comparisons help readers to visualize how exactly he wanted to fall. This quote also makes it sound like Frenchie would rather fall and die than to hold on and fight to protect himself.
Point: Cherie uses diction throughout this passage. She uses diction to show how Mitch is dealing with internal conflict when the recruiters are trying to take him away.
Proof: "He turned again, eyes burning with purpose, bordering on anger." (3)
Explanation: Dimaline uses aggressive terms in this quote such as 'burning' and 'anger' to display the mood and tone of this passage. This tells readers that Mitch is feeling furious about the conflict occurring.
Point: She also uses diction when explaining the external conflict that French faces when he is trying to hold his body against a tree to prevent himself from being abducted by recruiters like his brother, Mitch.
Proof: "The hairy knots on the sticky trunk scraped my thighs, sweat and skin holding me there. The needles poked into my arms and shoved into my armpits, making me tear up. I pulled my sweaty body towards the other side of the pine, scrapes popping up red and puffy on my thighs and torso." (4)
Explanation: In this quote, Dimaline uses specific words to describe how violent this moment in the passage is. The verbs she chose to use are very intense causing readers to feel the pain and struggle Frenchie faces. She uses certain descriptive words such as 'hairy', 'scraped', 'poked', 'shoved', and 'red and puffy'. These words help readers visualize what is happening and helps them to understand the certain conflicts the character is facing during this violent moment in the passage.
Point: Dimaline also uses diction by telling readers Frenchie's inner dialogue allowing us to understand what he is thinking and feel for him.
Proof: Deep breath. You can do this. The other hand shook as it began to release. The skin on my thighs burned with extra strain. Soon they too would be unclenched. Deep breath..." (4)
Explanation: In this quotation, Dimaline uses inner dialogue to show readers what Frenchie is thinking and feeling. She also uses words like 'burned' and 'extra strain' to help readers understand the terrible pain Frenchie was facing. This quote also demonstrates how throughout this passage Frenchie is dealing with both external and internal conflict as he tries to hold onto the tree while he is stressed and worried about his brother.
In conclusion, throughout the novel Dimaline uses literary elements such as diction and figurative language, allowing readers to experience the internal and external conflicts of Frenchie losing his brother. The techniques she uses causes readers to feel for Frenchie early. This also sets the bigger theme of survival after loss when Frenchie is on his own and has to figure out how to survive.