As Kenny gets pummeled by the whirlpool, he thinks he’s struggling with the Wool Pooh, suggesting that he’s still young enough to believe the nonsense stories that Byron tells him. When he sees an image of Joey outfitted like an angel, the novel takes on a religious tone. However,
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 isn’t necessarily a religious novel. Rather, Joey’s appearance as an angel is more symbolic than anything, indicating that Kenny sees his family members and loved ones as saviors of sorts—people who can help guide him out of trouble. To that end, Byron appears in
real life and does exactly that, dragging Kenny away from danger.