Identity is a key motif in the story of Gooney Bird Greene’s introduction to Watertower Elementary School. Gooney Bird is immediately presented as someone who is different from the other students; her hair is different, her clothes are different, and she has a confident and assertive yet polite manner of speaking to her teacher and classmates. The classmates do not judge or exclude Gooney Bird but are instead intrigued by her and want to learn all they can about her. Gooney Bird presents her own personality confidently and inspires her classmates to do the same.

Gooney Bird’s identity is evident in her unique choices of clothing, her stories, and in the way she interacts with her classmates and teacher. She is wise and well-spoken for her age and knows how to conduct the classroom in such a way that she remains respectful but still commands their full attention. Gooney Bird confidently tells stories about herself and the history of how she came to be who she is despite having recently moved to Watertown and having just met this class. Being new doesn’t scare her because she knows and likes who she is. Gooney Bird’s confidence in herself inspires others to speak out, share their own lives, and teach one another

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