Sylvia
.
Sylvia
is our humble hero, and our main girl through and through. Her challenge is to protect the natural world from the hands of man—even if she doesn't realize it yet. Her final decision to protect the white heron solidifies her as a sympathetic and right-minded protagonist.
Who is the protagonist and antagonist in A White Heron?
In many ways, then, she is associated with nature, as even her name — Sylvia — comes from the word sylvan, which means associated with the woods or the pastoral. The antagonist of the story is the urban desire to tame and possess nature, as represented by
the hunter
.
Who is the antagonist of A White Heron?
While
the hunter
isn't a traditional antagonist, he's representative of everything that's opposed to Sylvia's tree-hugging lifestyle—specifically, that while Sylvia lives at one with nature, the hunter wants nature under his control.
What does the protagonist do at the end of A White Heron?
He ends up staying with Sylvia and her grandmother, and
he offers Sylvia money if she will lead him to the elusive bird
.
Is Sylvia the main character in the White Heron?
Sylvia, the
protagonist of
the story, is a 9-year-old girl living on a farm in the Maine woodlands with her grandmother, Mrs. Tilley. Before moving to her grandmother's farm, Sylvia lived in a crowded manufacturing town with her mother and many siblings.
What happened to the son in a white heron?
Tilley's only living son (although she is not totally sure that he is alive).
He left home many years ago to explore the American West and has lost touch with the family
. Mrs. Tilley remarks that both Dan and Sylvia share a deep personal connection to wildlife and both feel a call to explore nature.
Do you think Sylvia will show the stranger the heron?
She has been shocked to see the hunter shoot the birds he wants to “collect” and is dismayed by this cruelty, though her childish heart is quickly won over with the gift of the knife. . Despite the offer of money,
Sylvia chooses not to reveal the heron's whereabouts
.
What does A White Heron symbolize?
The white heron symbolizes
the independence and wonder of nature
, which must be preserved against the destructive forces of industrialization and greed. … Additionally, the heron is white, the color most often associated with purity, thus representing the purity of nature free from human interference.
What is the point of view of A White Heron?
Third Person
(Omniscient)
How Old Is Sylvia in A White Heron?
“A White Heron” is the story of Sylvia, a
nine-year-old girl
, who goes in quest of an exotic, almost miraculous bird. She herselfhas unusual gifts.
Why does the Hunter want the white heron?
The hunter represents
the industrialization that threatens to conquer and destroy nature
in order to satisfy human greed, and Sylvia must reject him in order to truly value her natural environment.
Did Sylvia make the right choice when she protected the white heron?
Ultimately, Sylvia makes the right choice based on her beliefs—to do otherwise would have been hypocritical.
Although Sylvia chooses to protect the heron
, the story seems to indicate that Mrs. Tilley would have made a different decision if it were up to her.
What is the theme of the story A White Heron?
Conservation versus Greed
At the heart of “A White Heron” lies the conflict between conserving nature and exploiting it for financial gain. The stranger wants to shoot, kill, and stuff the elusive white heron for his personal collection, and he offers Sylvia $10 to help him find it.
Why does Sylvia not speak in the White heron?
Sylvia remains silent
and doesn't speak because she doesn't want to betray the loyalty of the white heron. When the handsome hunter, who manages to charm Sylvia, asks her where the beautiful bird might be hiding, Sylvia decides to remain silent and not give away its location.
What word best describes Sylvia in a white heron?
At first, Sylvia is described as
“a little girl”
and “small and silly Sylvia”. As she begins her journey up the tree, she is described as a “spark of human spirit”. Finally, as she reaches the top of the tree, she is called “a pale star” and stands “triumphant”.
Why does Sylvia live with her grandmother in the White heron?
Plot summary
Sylvia has come from the city to live in the Maine woods with her grandmother, Mrs. Tilley. As the story begins, Sylvia has been living with her grandmother for nearly a year,
learning to adapt to country ways
.
