How does the story of the sparrow illustrate Tere's feelings?

Bernardo does a good job of painting her characters' situation and feelings in sharp, descriptive passages. For example, a well-observed analogy conveys the depth of Tere's feelings: Tere's attention wandered. She stared out the window where loud blue jays chased a sparrow off the tree. The little bird flew away and found safety in a tiny hole under the eaves of a school building. Tere understood the sparrow's problem, but she envied him. At least he had a place to hide.