Surviving Privation: Frenchie’s Journey in The Marrow Thieves In a world where the line between civilization and chaos grows thinner by the minute, dystopian literature serves as both a warning and a reflection of our biggest fears and desires. Among the countless themes that take place in these crucial environments, none is more haunting than privation—the constant stripping away of humans’ basic necessities and comforts. In The Marrow Thieves, by Cherie Dimaline, the novel follows a group of Indigenous people on the risk of being hunted by the recruiters for their bone marrow; the key to restoring dreams in a world where they become on the verge of being extinct. Privation is a central theme woven into the narrative, impacting the main character, Frenchie (a 16-year-old Indigenous boy who recently lost his entire family), both …show more content…
His encounter with a moose becomes an upsetting metaphor for his inner struggle. In this scene, Frenchie goes hunting with the other male members of the group. He finds himself confronted by a moose as he hides in the trees. As the moose observes Frenchie, his thoughts reveal the true impact of deprivation: “The moose watches all this play out on my face, a dirty boy tangled in the roots of an upended tree, hiding from the world, hiding from memories of a family and days without pursuit” (Dimaline 49). This passage captures the psychological impact of being stripped of human necessities. Without the ability to access basic hygiene, Frenchie’s self-perception as a “dirty boy” demonstrates the dehumanizing effects of privation. Stripped of dignity, he belittles himself, and the absence of cleanliness consumes his self-worth, leaving him vulnerable to self-hatred. Frenchie’s tangled existence—both physically and emotionally—mirrors the roots of the upended