Novel Study Tableaus- The Marrow Thieves

1. Exposition 

In this first photo, Frenchie and Mitch are eating Doritos in a treehouse, totally oblivious to the Recruiters nearby. Shortly after this, once they open the bag of Doritos the noise it produces attracts the attention of the Recruiters. This falls into the ‘Exposition’ stage in the novel, because we learn a bit about Frenchie, and how he has a brother named Mitch. This scene also flows smoothly into the events that lead into the Initiating Incident, where Mitch is captured by the Recruiters and how that causes Frenchie to run into the woods to be found by the group. 

 2. Initiating Incident 

In this second photo, Frenchie is on the verge of death, and is found by the group. They approach him, and nurse him back to health, giving him food and water and fixing various injuries. This fits into the category ‘Initiating Incident’ because Frenchie suffered a life-threatening event, and joining the group initiated the rest of the story. To add onto that point, if the group had not found him, he would have most likely died, and would never have the relationships he has built within his new family. 

3. Rising Action One 

In this third photo, the group find an abandoned resort that they wish to enter. After Frenchie tests the fence for electricity, they enter the resort and spend the night. This is a part of the ‘Rising Action One’ section of the book, because quite a few things happen whilst inside: Wab shares her coming-to story, Frenchie and Rose develop their relationship further, and overall, it gives the group somewhat of a group while bringing them closer together. 

4. Rising Action Two 

In this fourth photo, the youngest of their group is unfortunately killed. RiRi was taken by Lincoln, an indigenous man who turned other Indigenous into the Recruiters, and who jumped off a cliff with RiRi once he realized he was cornered. This classifies as ‘Rising Action Two’, since the incident happens around the middle of the story, it is one major event but not the last one that occurs throughout the novel. This event deeply impacted the characters, affecting them throughout the entire novel. 

5. Rising Action Three 

In this fifth photo, Minerva allows herself to be taken by the Recruiters in order to keep the rest of the group safe. She also hid the ladder that the group used to get into the loft they slept the night in, to ensure the Recruiters would not see them in the dark. This is considered ‘Rising Action Three’, because it is the final event leading up to the climax of the story; Minerva’s death. This event directly leads to her death, and is quite a big moment for the characters, having their Elder ripped away from them so soon after the death of their youngest. 

6. Climax 

In this sixth photo, the rescue mission to retrieve Minerva has failed. She ended up being shot and passed away whilst in the company of her family. This is the ‘Climax’, due to the amount of planning the Haven and the group did to retrieve Minerva, because she was family and because of the fact she was the key to bringing down the schools. Once the mission was over, the entirety of the Haven moved locations, to where the Recruiters would have a harder chance finding them.  

7. Falling Action 

In this seventh photo, the group and the Haven are moving locations after the death of Minerva. Everyone is grieving, the fresh loss heavy on their shoulders as they walk to the next camp. This is considered ‘Falling Action’, because it is the aftermath of the climax, where the characters reflect on events that have just happened. The threat of the Recruiters is still present, but distant in the heads of the characters as they process the events that has plagued their lives in the last months. 

8. Resolution

In the eighth and final photo, the characters Miig and Isaac reunite after Isaac was believed to be dead for years. They were partners and it was very emotional for the both of them to find each other after so long. This is the ‘Resolution’, because it is the very last event that occurs in the novel. The novel ends shortly after they reunite, ending in a cliffhanger, along with a bittersweet end for the novel.