A White Heron essays

A White Heron essays After the Civil War, Americans no longer depended solely on agriculture as a way of life. Because of the technological and economic advances in America, the picturesque and peaceful New England countryside was slowly being transformed into a modern, industrialist society. As a witness to these economic developments, Sarah Jewett writes A White Heron, a fictional, coming of age story that tells the story of a young girl living with her grandmother in the wilderness as technology slowly tries to transform the area around her. A White Heron demonstrates the importance of being loyal in preserving ones region over the desire for personal and materialistic gain. As the story opens, the author uses imagery to give the reader a sense that the area is very simple, safe, and secure. She establishes that Sylvia feels comfortable and enjoys living on the farm with her grandmother. Even though she grew up in the city, she finds her home in the country with her grandmother. She befriends and develops close bonds with the animals. The tone of the story changes after the antagonist, an ornithologist from the city, confronts Sylvia. He picks up on Sylvias bond with the animals and begins to inquire about a white heron that he has been following. He intends to kill the bird, stuff it, and add it to his collection. The hunter represents the advancement of science and technology and the destruction of nature. He is trying to take a part of nature with him to the city for observation and study. After Sylvia realizes that she has seen the white heron before, she embarks on a journey to find the birds nest by climbing a tree in the woods. This adventure is discussed in great detail because it shows the main characters struggle and the obstacles that she went through to find the birds nest. Climbing the large pine tree gives Sylvia peace, understanding, and perspective of the natural world around her. She begins to better ...