What does money symbolize in the novel, Winter Counts?

Money symbolizes corruption. This is shown in Virgil’s recounting of how the Supreme Court awarded the Lakota nation millions of dollars in damages because their land had been illegally seized, but the Lakota considered this “blood money” (139) and refused to take it. Marie later discovers that Delia, her boss, has been embezzling money from the community on the reservation, an example of how the desire for money itself, rather than resources with real value to how people live, can be a corrupting force. The Lakota nation’s refusal of monetary compensation shows an understanding that their land is irreplaceable, while Delia’s actions betray a desire for individual power, rather than value that can be shared.