Significance of The Burning Pigeon

The pigeon with the burning wings that Hernán sees trying to escape from the building fire in "The Auroras" symbolizes Hernán and his failed attempts to escape what become quietly destructive circumstances. Although the pigeon tries to escape the burning house, it soon resigns to his fate, which Hernán also does by the end of the story when he concedes that "he'll never leave" (239) Clarisa's house.