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Similes
Magic Words
Explanation and Analysis:
The Marrow Thieves follows certain stylistic conventions for young adult fiction—namely, Dimaline chooses to write in a simpler, direct, accessible style, reflecting the youth of her narrator. What figurative language she does use is detailed but not overly intricate; it's abstract, like something an adolescent or teenager would use. Note the following passage from "Magic Words," for instance, where Frenchie describes Rose:
She was a fighter and became more vocal about it every day. We were used to her outbursts during Story; in fact, she became part of Story, the dissenting voice to the way things are, the rebel waiting for the fight to be brought. And we loved the way she rebelled, anyway; having been raised by old people, she spoke like them. It made us feel surrounded on both ends — like we had a future and a past all bundled up in her round dark cheeks and loose curls.
Frenchie uses an abstract, vague description to characterize Rose, observing that she speaks like an older person, making him feel "surrounded on both ends." An older, more detail-oriented narrator might say that Rose made him feel "embraced on all sides" or that she is "older than her years"—but Frenchie is young and has had an inconsistent education. He handles phrases and clauses with the youthful awkwardness of a child still learning how to convey complicated thoughts and emotions. As the novel progresses, his command of language matures—no doubt a stylistic choice by Dimaline.
Related Themes:
