Many characters, including Miig, French and Rose, have heard stories of their families' histories in Canada's residential boarding school system. Moreover, the novel tracks how trauma does not only happen on the individual level but is also transmitted from generation to generation. These terrible, traumatic experiences have left lasting psychological and physical impacts on the characters' day-to-day lives. Many have experienced physical and sexual violence and have lost their loved ones. On the broadest level, they are persecuted for being Indigenous. Most of the Indigenous characters in The Marrow Thieves have experienced significant trauma.

And their long-term goal is to heal the land from the damage that humans have done to it. They are sure to not be wasteful with nature’s precious resources. Dimaline characterizes Miig, French, Clarence and the other Native resistance members by their respectful relationship with nature. In the same way, the government extract Native bone marrow for the short-term benefit of non-Native people, rather than trying to learn from those who are still able to dream. Rather, humans continue to extract nature’s resources for the immediate benefit of a few, without regard for the long-term consequences. Yet the government shows no interest in trying to change or improve humans’ relationship with nature. The Marrow Thieves takes place in a not-too-distant future in which humans have destroyed the earth. Buy Study Guide Humans' relationship to nature

Dimaline cherie the marrow thieves