What does Dead Bird represent?

The dead bird symbolizes the discrepancies between Keiko's worldview and more typical modes of thinking. When Keiko finds a dead bird on the ground in a park as a child, she thinks that it would be a good idea to bring it home to grill for her father, who loves to eat yakitori. Her mother is astonished by this reaction, and instead encourages Keiko to feel sad that someone’s pet died and suggests they bury it in a little grave instead. The death of this bird is symbolic of the way that Keiko’s logical thinking and unemotional way of being confound those around her.