Hope Lost and Hope Found

 

            Throughout Cherie Dimaline’s novel The Marrow Thieves, she intertwines the themes of hope and home by having her characters face the loss of hope and the foundation of hope.  Dimaline’s story primarily focuses on Frenchie and his found family’s trials of trying to survive, where the main theme of hope begins with hope lost in response to RiRi’s death.  When Frenchie finds RiRi’s boot and sees her dead at the bottom of the cliff, he feels as if “[t]here was no mooring, no ground, no sky” (Dimaline, 135).  Dimaline further describes an absence of hope within the group after RiRi’s death, as Frenchie expresses how “[i]t was like a color had ceased to exist and now the world seemed dull” (139).  Despite Frenchie’s own battle with hopelessness, it is Miig’s talk with Frenchie that not only provides a sense of foreshadowing to the events that lies ahead, but also a reminder of how to persevere.  Miig shares his own history in dealing with loss and revenge but reminds Frenchie that “[s]ometimes the path in front of you alters…[j]ust make sure it doesn’t change the intent of the trip” (145).  When Minerva is eventually captured by Recruiters, Frenchie decides to adapt to the altered path by going after her.  Dimaline’s incorporation of two heavy losses sets the tone of hopelessness, but eventually allows the characters to find that hope as they continue with their journey.

            In their task to find Minerva, Frenchie and his group find something else—Frenchie’s father.  Hope and happiness return as Frenchie hugs his father again and feels as if “everything was okay” and even feels “happy in a way that had no words” (169). While the group and Frenchie have dealt with losses, the reunion with Frenchie’s father provides more optimism for finding Minerva.  However just as hope builds in each of the group’s members, Dimaline clues in further loss with the chapter titled “Lost and Found and Lost”, where Minerva dies in the attempt to rescue her (202).  But Minerva’s dying words are “Kiiwen”, which Rose translates to Frenchie that it means “[y]ou must always go home” (211).  Through loss, Dimaline reiterates the importance of continuing to find hope and home.  Even though the group couldn’t save RiRi or Minerva, they must continue to find a home for themselves.  Dimaline firmly establishes the theme of finding hope and home despite loss when Miig and his husband, Isaac, reunite at the end of the novel.  Frenchie’s narration reinstates that feeling of hope as he finally understands “that as long as there are dreamers left, there will never be want for a dream” (231).  Frenchie realizes that with this reunion, Indigenous people will always possess the ability to find not only each other but to find hope as well, no matter the trials and tribulations each of them faces along the way.