Nipper is an important symbol in the novel. For Palmer, his beloved pet pigeon symbolizes the true injustice of the Family Fest pigeon shooting. Palmer views Nipper as a complex and beautiful creature who has a unique and loving personality. Palmer loves Nipper and can’t understand why the people in his town hate pigeons enough to kill them by the thousands every year. He realizes that 5,000 Nippers die during the pigeon shoot every year, and they die for no other reason than they were born pigeons. Palmer’s love for Nipper is complicated by his inability to reconcile the Family Fest pigeon shooting with anything good.

Nipper also symbolizes friendship for Palmer. Palmer has always detested the Family Fest pigeon shooting because he has views pigeons as innocent creatures who don’t deserve to be shot. When Nipper appears in his life, his hidden feelings about pigeons are allowed to freely surface. He fully embraces Nipper as his beloved pet and friend. His friendship with Nipper causes him to live selflessly for his bird; he sacrifices his reputation and feelings to ensure Nipper’s safety. These sacrifices ultimately lead Palmer to take self-agency for the first time in his life.