The mockingbird provides an overarching symbol of the novel’s intertextuality. The mockingbird in the book’s title alludes to Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, illustrating the thematic connection between the two literary texts. Lee’s novel plays a critical role in the narrative that contributes to the theme of Developing Consciousness Through Friendship and Literature. The reading of Lee’s book as a seminal literary text of the 1960s undergirds the protagonist’s personal growth and expanding understanding of racism and social inequality. Lynda Rutledge’s narrative illustrates how literature can challenge people’s perceptions as America’s reaction to Lee’s novel differs significantly from Corky’s due to the vast differences in their experience and knowledge of racism. The stakes of racialized violence—which are extremely high for America and her family—are low enough for Corky that they’ve largely escaped her notice. Corky’s privilege allows her to see To Kill a Mockingbird as a book that opens her eyes to racism, while its depiction of racialized violence merely traumatizes America.

As a symbol, the mockingbird also signifies Corky’s loss of innocence as she confronts the reality of racism. When Papa Cal urges her to kill the snake he senses in his yard, Corky hesitates, recalling her first experience with shooting.