Introduction
Even though The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, at first glance, may seem like a typical post-apocalyptic dystopian young adult literature, much deeper meanings are hidden in it. First, this is a story about growing up and understanding the meaning and importance of family and one’s culture. Moreover, many characters in the book can be an excellent base for the director of the film adaptation of this story.
Discussion
The story takes place shortly after the apocalypse due to climate change. Changes in the environment have affected people’s ability to dream, and the only people who have retained this ability are the indigenous people (Dimaline, 2017). The lack of sleep in people significantly affects their mental health, so in an attempt to find a cure for this, the authorities begin hunting for indigenous peoples to extract their bone marrow.
Moreover, the story raises many social and environmental issues. First, the central storyline of the story is the fate of the indigenous people persecuted by the authorities. Although the book is set in the future, it is clear that the story is primarily directed precisely at the problems the indigenous people still face today. However, the film’s target audience can be indigenous peoples and any person who is somehow different from the majority.
Moreover, history raises questions about cultural self-identification and the problem of accepting one’s cultural heritage. These issues are especially relevant for the younger generation, which must continue and spread the cultural traditions of their ancestors. Viewers should understand that no one should hide who they are or be persecuted by the government but should be able to speak up about it and support their culture. Authorities in the film are not necessarily meant to represent the honest Canadian government. Still, they should symbolize a collective society willing to exterminate all differences for its benefit.
Secondly, the setting is a post-apocalyptic world in which humanity found itself due to terrible climate change (Dimaline, 2017). People often talk about the fact that the Earth may soon become uninhabitable while often forgetting that, for the most part, humanity is the cause of inevitable changes in nature. This story is one of the possible ways to once again draw the viewer’s attention to the relationship between man and the environment. In the book, nature is a different character whose state correlates with the state of people in the story. Therefore, when directing a film, the internal state of the characters must be conveyed not only through their dialogues but also through images of nature. Perhaps it would be appropriate to use darker and gloomier pictures of the environment at the beginning of the film, which will gradually clear up by the end, giving the viewer hope for change and a brighter future.
Finally, despite the whole story’s gloom and tragedy, the film’s finale should be lighter, giving the viewer hope. The film ends with Miigwans talking about the need for reconciliation and the possibility of ‘healing,’ which probably will not happen soon (Dimaline, 2017). It is an open ending, where viewers have the right to think about what will happen next. However, it is also an opportunity to make viewers think about what humanity can do now to prevent such a development of events in the future.
Conclusion
Thus, The Marrow Thieves is a story that raises fundamental questions about the modern world. Although the report focuses on the problems that indigenous people face in the future, it also focuses on the past and present. The problem of persecution and infringement of people by the authorities is not a problem of the future but a constantly recurring situation. A film adaptation of the book could draw the attention of a broader audience to the need to change their attitude toward many social and environmental issues.
Reference
Dimaline, C. (2017). The Marrow thieves. Cormorant Books Inc.