How does the author use symbolism in the novel, Where the Dead Sit Talking?

The makeup that Sequoyah puts around his eyes represents his desire to feel good, to feel attractive, and to feel secure in himself. Putting on the eyeliner is associated with courage and defiance, Sequoyah claiming that he has a right to be who he is. The power and value of this claim are in vivid contrast to the power and value of the scars, a positive counterpoint to a more negative side to his identity. The narrative gives no indication at all that the eyeliner represents any form of gender questioning on Sequoyah's part, although the narrative does suggest that he finds himself on the receiving end of homophobic comments when he wears it.