Silver Dollars

The silver dollars Lucy and Sam seek to bury with Ba at the beginning of the novel are a symbol of their cultural heritage, as Ma taught them that this was a sign of respect for the dead and ensured that they would not be haunted by the person's ghost. After they have buried him, Lucy discovers that Sam took the silver dollars back from the grave because Ba had told her that this was a silly superstition and the living need money more than the dead. This serves as a symbol of Ba and Sam's relationship in which they often exchanged confidences (such as Ba telling Sam that her mother had not died).

Buffalo Skeleton

The buffalo skeleton that Lucy and Sam come across as they wander the hills in Chapter 2 is a symbol of the destruction of the land and its human and...