Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Occasionally, Macabéa hears the crow of a cockerel, a young rooster: "From time to time, the girl was lucky enough to hear a cockerel welcome the dawn" (3.71). It's strange to hear a rooster crowing in the city, so this becomes something special for Macabéa because it reminds her of Alagoas, and its crowing brings her comfort and hope.
Yeah, we don't exactly know why she wants to be reminded of her brutal home, either. But let's roll with it. After all, the very first description of her made by the narrator is as a "girl from the North-east" (1.6). Her birthplace defines her in some deep, meaningful way, and Macabéa is thankful for the nostalgia and, yeah, hope that the cockerel brings: "The cockerel belonged to the never-never land. Its cries came form the infinite right up to her bedside, filling her with gratitude" (3.74).