One of the writing strategies Cormier used to help convey the central idea of the story is symbolism. A symbol used in this story is the Indians. The Indians symbolized growing up and maturity. In her youth,Jane would look out her bedroom window with her dad and make up fantasies about the Indians, but as Jane grew up they drifted away from the habit. At Jane’s going away party Jane finds her dad in her room,gazing out her window. He tells her to look at the smoke in the distance and begins to create a fantasy regarding the indians saying “Indians on the warpath”. Shortly after he told Jane to look at the smoke she responded with “That’s Mr.Arnold burning his leaves.” Jane responded in a serious manner because she feels that as she’s grown
