How does the author use symbolism in the short story collection, War Dances?

Alexie is himself a Native American, and most of his characters are also Native Americans, which allows him to spell out his themes clearly and to clearly portray symbolism. For example, consider Alexie’s way of revealing how two friends grow apart in the short story, The Senator’s Son, on page 90: “We became rumors to each other.” Or consider the symbolism of the flight of birds as being the soul ascending to Heaven in his poem, Food Chain, on page 209: “Startle those birds/ Into flight/ With my last words/ I loved my life.”