The Marrow Thieves

by

Cherie Dimaline

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Rose Character Analysis

A teenager about Frenchie's age who joins Miig's group at the beginning of the novel. She's extremely beautiful, with curly brown hair, big eyes, and a big smile—when she's not angry and defensive. Frenchie develops a crush on her immediately, which she reciprocates. Rose was raised by her grandmother, and then her grandmother's brothers, before finding her way to Miig. She's a competent hunter and doesn't underestimate or look down on Minerva, which means that Minerva is willing to teach Rose words in the Cree language while they're at camp together. Rose awakens Frenchie's desire to protect and defend his family, something that grates on her at times. Things become especially tense after the family joins with the resistance group, as another young man, Derrick, takes a liking to Rose and makes a point of being rude to Frenchie in order to impress her. Though Rose accepts some of Derrick's advances, she remains loyal to Frenchie and demands better treatment from him when he is mean to her out of jealousy. Though she initially vows to run away because of Frenchie's behavior, she allows Frenchie to run after her and ultimately agrees to stay.

Rose Quotes in The Marrow Thieves

The The Marrow Thieves quotes below are all either spoken by Rose or refer to Rose. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Cyclical Histories, Language, and Indigenous Oppression Theme Icon
).
Magic Words Quotes

"How do you have language?" My voice broke on the last syllable. My chest tightened. How could she have the language? She was the same age as me, and I deserved it more. I don't know why, but I felt certain that I did. I yanked my braid out of the back of my shirt and let it fall over my shoulder. Some kind of proof, I suppose.

Related Characters: Frenchie (speaker), Minerva, Rose
Related Symbols: Braids
Page Number: 38
Explanation and Analysis:
A Plague of Madness Quotes

"Like how we are motivated to run because of the Recruiters?" Rose jumped in. "And the Recruiters are motivated to run after us because of the schools?"

"Almost," he answered. "We are actually both motivated by the same thing: survival."

"But isn't it just us that's trying to survive? No one's trying to kill those jerk-offs."

"But, nevertheless, they are dying. Mostly killing themselves, mind you. And so they are motivated by the need to be able to survive. And they see that solution in us."

Related Characters: Miig (speaker), Rose (speaker), Frenchie, Wab
Related Symbols: Residential Schools
Page Number: 54
Explanation and Analysis:
The Other Indians Quotes

I nodded back, copying the way he held his mouth. Yes, we would definitely do so. Us men. We'd be vigilant. Chi-Boy turned and started making his way through the trees. I watched him for a minute, and tried to listen. There was nothing—the absence of sound was the only thing the ear picked up. There was no doubt Chi-Boy was the best scout we had, probably the best scout anyone had. I followed close behind, imitating his movements.

Related Characters: Frenchie (speaker), Wab, Rose, Travis, Chi-Boy, Lincoln
Page Number: 124
Explanation and Analysis:
On the Road Quotes

How could anything be as bad as it was when this moment existed in the span of eternity? How could I have fear when this girl would allow me this close? How could anything matter but this small miracle of having someone I could love?

Related Characters: Frenchie (speaker), Rose
Page Number: 160
Explanation and Analysis:
Loss Quotes

In them, there is always this feeling, an understanding more than an emotion, of protection. It didn't matter what was happening in the world, my job was to be Francis. That was all. Just remain myself. And now? Well, now I had a different family to take care of. My job was to hunt, and scout, and build camp, and break camp, to protect the others. I winced even thinking about it. My failure. I'd failed at protecting, and now, as a result, I failed at remaining myself.

Related Characters: Frenchie (speaker), Minerva, RiRi, Rose, Dad, Mom, Mitch
Page Number: 179-80
Explanation and Analysis:
Kiiwen Quotes

I took off running, away from camp, the Council, my family: running toward Rose, who was somewhere beyond the birch-beaded edge of the woods, running towards an idea of home that I wasn't willing to lose, not even if it meant running away from the family I had already found.

Related Characters: Frenchie (speaker), Miig, Rose, Dad
Page Number: 217
Explanation and Analysis:
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Rose Quotes in The Marrow Thieves

The The Marrow Thieves quotes below are all either spoken by Rose or refer to Rose. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Cyclical Histories, Language, and Indigenous Oppression Theme Icon
).
Magic Words Quotes

"How do you have language?" My voice broke on the last syllable. My chest tightened. How could she have the language? She was the same age as me, and I deserved it more. I don't know why, but I felt certain that I did. I yanked my braid out of the back of my shirt and let it fall over my shoulder. Some kind of proof, I suppose.

Related Characters: Frenchie (speaker), Minerva, Rose
Related Symbols: Braids
Page Number: 38
Explanation and Analysis:
A Plague of Madness Quotes

"Like how we are motivated to run because of the Recruiters?" Rose jumped in. "And the Recruiters are motivated to run after us because of the schools?"

"Almost," he answered. "We are actually both motivated by the same thing: survival."

"But isn't it just us that's trying to survive? No one's trying to kill those jerk-offs."

"But, nevertheless, they are dying. Mostly killing themselves, mind you. And so they are motivated by the need to be able to survive. And they see that solution in us."

Related Characters: Miig (speaker), Rose (speaker), Frenchie, Wab
Related Symbols: Residential Schools
Page Number: 54
Explanation and Analysis:
The Other Indians Quotes

I nodded back, copying the way he held his mouth. Yes, we would definitely do so. Us men. We'd be vigilant. Chi-Boy turned and started making his way through the trees. I watched him for a minute, and tried to listen. There was nothing—the absence of sound was the only thing the ear picked up. There was no doubt Chi-Boy was the best scout we had, probably the best scout anyone had. I followed close behind, imitating his movements.

Related Characters: Frenchie (speaker), Wab, Rose, Travis, Chi-Boy, Lincoln
Page Number: 124
Explanation and Analysis:
On the Road Quotes

How could anything be as bad as it was when this moment existed in the span of eternity? How could I have fear when this girl would allow me this close? How could anything matter but this small miracle of having someone I could love?

Related Characters: Frenchie (speaker), Rose
Page Number: 160
Explanation and Analysis:
Loss Quotes

In them, there is always this feeling, an understanding more than an emotion, of protection. It didn't matter what was happening in the world, my job was to be Francis. That was all. Just remain myself. And now? Well, now I had a different family to take care of. My job was to hunt, and scout, and build camp, and break camp, to protect the others. I winced even thinking about it. My failure. I'd failed at protecting, and now, as a result, I failed at remaining myself.

Related Characters: Frenchie (speaker), Minerva, RiRi, Rose, Dad, Mom, Mitch
Page Number: 179-80
Explanation and Analysis:
Kiiwen Quotes

I took off running, away from camp, the Council, my family: running toward Rose, who was somewhere beyond the birch-beaded edge of the woods, running towards an idea of home that I wasn't willing to lose, not even if it meant running away from the family I had already found.

Related Characters: Frenchie (speaker), Miig, Rose, Dad
Page Number: 217
Explanation and Analysis: