ENGL 106 Final Prompt and Instructions for Kenneth Johnson
An automatic extension is granted for this assignment to allow you more time to complete the
assignment, given your learning accommodations through CAE.
Please select one or more of the questions about The Marrow Thieves and answer them in your
Final essay: How does Dimaline imagine the disastrous impacts of current and future forms of climate
change, pollution, and ecological catastrophes in the novel? What is the relationship
between ecological violence, ecocide, and the colonists’ loss of the ability to dream? How
are Indigenous people, then, transformed into a resource in the same ways that colonists
view the earth, more-than-human beings, and water? Given the apocalyptic ecological future that Dimaline imagines in the novel, what is she
saying about the importance of Indigenous culture, language, and ecological practices to
heal the earth and Native peoples?
Essay requirements: Papers should be 2,000-2,200 words (excluding endnotes and the works cited) Double spaced
Include page numbers for all direct quote Include a works cited page Follow MLA or Chicago style Essays should also include on at least 1 scholarly source not listed on the syllabus Book reviews, newspaper articles, and encyclopedia entries will not count as scholarly
sources
Instructions for writing the essay:
Select at least 4-6 examples in total from Dimaline and interpret them by conducting “close
reading” analyses. Include direct quotes from the novel, with page numbers, and analyze them for
the reader. Show the reader how the author portrays and/or emphasizes the topics or ideas that you
are writing about. Remember successful close reading analysis uses direct evidence from the novel
to illustrate your points. If you find yourself writing about ideas or pattens that you observe in
Dimaline but do not include specific examples, with quotes, and pages numbers, I recommend
revising the paragraph by including specific examples. Be as specific as possible with your
discussions. Show the reader how you are coming to your conclusions by using direct evidence
from the novel.
