The Marrow Thieves Lesson Plan

Consider the function of the language in the following sentence from chapter two:

“The flames tried to settle, and he prodded them to dance again” (19).

How does the language serve to characterize Miigwans or Native Americans in general?

Students will likely provide a wide array of answers for this. However, particularly strong responses will note that Native people began with and have maintained a powerful connection and respect for the natural world. The use of the verb “dance” to correlate with fire unveils the reverence and lightness of fire as a component of the natural world. It begins to establish this Native trait subtly and indirectly through word...