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Word Arrives in Black
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Marrow Thieves, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Cyclical Histories, Language, and Indigenous Oppression
Family and Coming of Age
Humans and Nature
Trauma, Identity, and Pride
Summary
Analysis
The Council calls a meeting early in the morning. Clarence explains that they need to organize everyone not participating in the raid to move, as the Recruiters will target them after they attack. Nineteen people prepare to attack. They study the route and at eleven in the morning, head down to hide in the trees alongside the highway. Dad reminds Frenchie before he heads out that the Recruiters think of him as a commodity and instructs him to play it safe. Dad looks terrified.
Dad's pep talk for Frenchie shows that at a certain age or maturity level, it's actually beneficial and protective to remember that one's body is a valuable commodity. At this point in Frenchie's life and understanding, he can remember this and use the information to keep himself safe.
Themes
Frenchie climbs into his tree near Derrick. Miig gives Frenchie his pouch "for safekeeping," and says that it can't go back to the residential schools. The plan is to wait for the convoy, disable the drivers, and save Minerva. Frenchie looks up to where Rose is hidden on a hill. She'd been angry when Frenchie insisted she take one of the safest positions. Derrick is in a tree across from Frenchie and they mime insults at each other. Frenchie hears a low whistle from Chi-Boy, and two cars come around the bend. Arrows hit the tires and the car skids. The driver shoots General in the shoulder, and someone on the other side of the road shoots the driver of the van. Frenchie meets Derrick's eyes and sees that he looks like Frenchie did after he shot Travis.
Seeing the look on Derrick's face allows Frenchie to begin to humanize Derrick and see him as less of an adversary, and more of a peer. With this, Frenchie continues to expand his conception of family and community and makes room for other people who are going through some of the same changes that he is. Frenchie's insistence that Rose take a safer spot shows that he's still leaning heavily into his role as a protector, even when he knows that it's not getting him anywhere. This starts to show him that he should think about expanding his role.
Themes
The van driver is slumped onto the horn, and archers shoot the car driver. A Recruiter steps out of the van with his hands up and Tree and Zheegwon tie him up. The twins whoop in celebration and everyone meets at the van. The back door is locked, so Miig steps up to the cab to get the key. The horn stops and they hear a gunshot: the driver isn't dead and fights back. Chi-Boy runs to help Miig, and Frenchie hears another gunshot. Miig runs back with the keys, looking afraid. He unlocks the van and Minerva, bleeding from the chest, falls out into his arms. Frenchie takes Minerva's hand and tries to stanch the bleeding while Miig listens to Minerva's whispered words in the language, smiles, and cries.
The driver showed that he's aware that Minerva is valuable to the Indigenous rebels when he shot backwards hoping to get her—by taking her out, he ensures that the Indigenous people won't be able to question her about what happened and figure out how to acquire the language and skills themselves. (Remember that the driver isn't aware that Father Carole has already passed on a majority of the pertinent information.)
Themes
Rose takes Minerva's head in her lap and Minerva says, "kiiwen" and begins to sing. Miig picks up the song and sings until Minerva is gone. Miig and Frenchie stand, but Rose won't let go. Frenchie stands guard over Rose, and Rose looks up at him. She says that kiiwen means that they should always go home.
Minerva's final words are to essentially tell her family to hold onto each other. At this point, family and home are nearly synonymous, given that they can't live someplace permanent.
Themes
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