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.
What do the hunter and the White Heron symbolize in a white heron?
The White Heron represents nature. The White Heron is in its natural habitat.
The hunter is the intruder
. While he is polite, his presence and action threaten the purity and sanctity of nature and the world where the White Heron is not threatened.
What does the farm symbolize in a white heron?
The white heron symbolizes
the independence and wonder of nature
, which must be preserved against the destructive forces of industrialization and greed. When Sylvia sees the heron's spectacular perspective on the world from the top of the tree, she makes a moral choice to refuse to help the hunter kill the bird.
Why is Sylvia so afraid of the hunter initially?
It is
Sylvia's natural love of isolation
that prevents her from taking up the hunter's offer. Sylvia's love of the isolation is bred from her early life experience in an overcrowded city.
What did the Hunter offer Sylvy?
The man offers
Sylvia ten dollars
(a large sum for a poor family like Sylvia's) if she will show him the heron's nest. Thus Sylvia, who also forms an emotional attachment to the young man, must eventually choose between pleasing the young man (and getting the $10) or protecting the white heron.
What does Sylvia represent in a white heron?
Sylvia's identification with the heron mirrors the identification Jewett wants people to have with nature, so that they may recognize
nature's independence and wonder
and therefore choose to protect it from human ambitions.
How does Sylvia change in a white heron?
In Sarah Orne Jewett's short story “The White Heron,” the protagonist, Sylvia, changes from
a vulnerable young girl seeking approval to a strong person who knows that nature is more valuable than money
. … In a short time, she has grown from being a shy girl to one who can stand up for what she believes in.
What does Sylvia and the heron have in common?
Both Sylvia and the heron have quite a few things in common. Both are
solitary, lone creatures
that are most comfortable surrounded by nature and its beauty. The heron is a rare bird, just as Sylvia, a girl who loves the country life and living in solitude, is a rare type of person.
Why does Sylvia live with her grandmother?
By Sarah Orne Jewett
What a pro. For her part, Sylvia just wishes that the cow would hurry it up because her grandmother is going to be mad that they're out so late. Sylvia moved to her
grandmother's farm
from a “crowded manufacturing town” (1.2) when she was eight and fell in love with scenic countryside immediately.
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.
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.
How does Sarah Orne Jewett depict feminist thinking in a white heron?
In “The White Heron,” Sarah Orne Jewett draws numerous parallels between Sylvia, the little girl, and the elusive bird. … From a feminist perspective, then, we can take
Sylvia as an “everywoman
.” If the girl represents womankind, the story showcases ideal feminine qualities.
How did Sylvia view the cow?
Sylvia, the young girl who is the main character in the story, shows sympathy for the cow. Though the cow deliberately makes herself difficult to find,
Sylvia treats the cow as if it were a human friend and pretends they are playing a game
.
Why does Sylvia not speak in the White Heron?
Sylvia cannot speak
because to do so will be a betrayal of the heron and all she holds dear
. … There is within her a longing for human interaction which has never been fulfilled, and thus when she is faced with the choice between making her new friend happy or saving her beloved heron's life, the dilemma is agonizing.
What is the White Heron about summary?
It follows
a young city girl named Sylvia who came to live with her grandmother in the country
. She meets a young ornithologist hunter seeking to find a rare bird that he recently spotted in the area. As the story progresses, Sylvia is challenged with whether or not she should tell the hunter she saw the bird.
What does the pine tree symbolize in the White Heron?
The pine tree symbolizes
transition
. There are different ways of discussing that transition, depending on the lens through which the reader/scholar views the story. For many, climbing the tree symbolizes Sylvia's coming of age, particularly her sexual (or romantic) maturation.
What archetypal or commonly expressed experience might Sylvia's climb in this story symbolize?
There is symbolism in the act of Sylvia climbing the tree, because, when she gets to the top, she has what might be described as a
transcendental experience
. This means an experience that goes beyond the normal into the extraordinary, supernatural, or spiritual.
What does Sylvia ultimately decide to do at the end of the white heron?
Although she's torn, Sylvia decides to
find the heron for the hunter
. She climbs the highest tree in the area, has a magical experience, and sees the heron.
Why is Sylvia upset in the lesson?
Before Sylvia sees the toys in F.A.O. Schwarz, she doesn't consider “the lesson” because she has never seen and acknowledged the luxury afforded by wealth, thus never facing her own poverty. … But once she compares her world with the excess she sees at the toy store,
she becomes angry and resentful
.
What type of character is Sylvia?
Overall, Sylvia's
strong-willed
, surly, and judgmental disposition emphasizes her intense need to be in control of her life. Sylvia is a very strong-willed character that is constantly striving to make her own decisions.
Do you think Sylvia will show the stranger the Heron Why or why not?
Sylvia doesn't tell the stranger where to find
the heron's nest because she knows he'll kill the herons
, and she doesn't want that to happen. Sylvia is shown to have a great love for nature from childhood. She's so in tune with the area around her that it's simple for her to find the heron that the hunter has glimpsed.
What is symbolic in Sylvia's name meaning forest?
Sylvia is a feminine given name of Latin origin, also spelled Silvia. The French form is Sylvie. The name originates from the Latin word for forest Silva and its meaning is
spirit of the wood
. The mythological god of the forest was associated with the figure of Silvanus.
What is the main conflict that Sylvia feels about the stranger?
In Sarah Orne Jewett's “A White Heron,” Sylvia wants to please the stranger, the young ornithologist who seeks the white heron; however, she is conflicted because she does not wish to harm this beautiful bird. Thus, the main conflict is
Man (Humans) vs. Nature
.
What does Sylvia have to gain by revealing the white heron's location?
In “A White Heron,” Sylvia does not tell the hunter where the white heron is. Why is her decision difficult? Sylvia is torn between protecting the white heron and
gaining materially by betraying it
. Revealing its whereabouts would also please the young man who wants to shoot and stuff it.
What secret does Sylvia discover about the white heron when she climbs the tree?
When Sylvia first discovered the white heron's resting place in the marsh, she had planned on telling the young man where the heron's nest lay, but when he pressed her for an answer, all she could remember was “how
the white heron came flying through the golden air and how they watched the sea and the morning together
. …
What scared Sylvia as she walked home?
Sylvia is afraid of him, both because of
his gun
(understandable) but also because she associates him with the “great red-faced boy who used to chase and frighten her” (1.4) when she lived in the city.
What is the dialect in a white heron?
For the most part, Jewett uses a simple, almost conversational tone to tell her story. Although the narration never slips into full on dialect, it does use a conversational sentence structure that emphasizes the down-home goodness of “
this New England wilderness
” (1.14).
What is the mood of a white heron?
There are several “moods” of this story, among them
suspense
(in wondering if Sylvia will tell the hunter when she sees the white heron) and urgency (because of the hunter's desire to add the heron to his “collection”).
How were Sylvia and the stranger similar quizlet?
Sylvia and the stranger are
similar in that they both have (or claim to have) a real appreciation for the beauty of nature
. Just as Sylvia has a special appreciation for the birds, so does he. He tells her grandmother, “‘I am making a collection of birds myself.
What is the theme of the story a white heron?
“The White Heron” is a story based largely around the theme of
women's liberation
. While yes, it is a story about protecting nature and the beautiful things within it, the freedom of the white heron is also a metaphor for womanly freedom and youth.
Who is the main character in the story a white heron?
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.
What does Sylvia gain by remaining silent at the end?
By remaining silent, Sylvia basically
saves the white heron's life
: Sylvia cannot speak; she cannot tell the heron's secret and give its life away.
What are some characteristics of Sylvia that make her important as the narrator?
Sylvia is a rebellious, opinionated young woman who wants control of her own life. She is
quick to criticize others for any perceived fault
, but she seems particularly bothered by gullibility and hypocrisy. She is particularly close to her cousin Sugar.
