A White Heron, By Sarah Orne Jewett

1506 Words4 Pages

In the short story, “A White Heron”, by Sarah Orne Jewett, there is a character that is being introduced named Sylvia, who lives on a farm with her grandmother. Even though she just moved from the city, she enjoys the farm life way more than the city life. Sylvia hears a whistle as she walks her cow back home. She noticed it was the stranger, also known as the hunter. He was carrying a gun, hoping to find a rare bird to kill known as the white heron. He asks Sylvia if she can help him find the bird and if she did, he would pay her ten dollars. Sylvia is a huge bird lover, but she takes a liking to his favor because her and her grandmother needed the money. She wakes up early one morning and climbs the tallest pine tree in order to discover the heron’s nest. Throughout her journey, she decides that she will …show more content…

In this life, she is seen as one of the animals herself. “Alas, if the great wave of human interest which flooded for the first time this dull little life should sweep away the satisfactions of an existence heart to heart with nature and the dumb life of the forest!” (pg. 181). She climbs and soars up a pine tree and discovers the beautiful birds nest. She is stunned from the exquisiteness and gorgeousness of the nature that surrounds her. “Where was the white heron’s nest in the sea of green branches, and was this wonderful sight and pageant of the world the only reward for having climbed to such a giddy height? Now look down again, Sylvia, where the green marsh is set among the shining birches and dark hemlocks; there were you saw the white heron once you will see him again; look, look! A white spot of him like a single floating feather comes up from the dead hemlock and grows larger, and rises, and comes close at last, and goes by the landmark pine with steady sweep of wing and outstretched slender neck and crested head” (pg.

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