Assimilation

As I was reading through the novel, I came across the notion of assimilation and acceptance into a group. Elijah's popularity is constantly growing as he spends time in the military. Xavier's does not. He dons the role of the unsung hero. The two Cree snipers go on missions together, but when they come back, the stories told are of Elijah's sharp aim; none notice Xavier's cunning tactics. It was not until Xavier proved himself in the competition that his fellow comrades started respecting him. It makes me wonder why Elijah was accepted into the group much before Xavier was. Perhaps it was the stories of Elijah's sharpshooting. Are we generally attracted to people who can do great things? However, maybe assimilation is not always best. Xavier notes that Elijah has been speaking in English more than Cree now. It seems as if he is starting to lose some of his heritage. Perhaps I am misreading the signs, but the topic of assimilation was made clear in the past few chapters.