Literary Criticism of a White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett

Introduction

“A White Heron” is a short story written by Sarah Orne Jewett and it revolves around a young girl named Sylvia. She initially resided in the city with her parents, but later on, is seen to be living with her grandmother in the country to share her work at least to some extent. This piece of literature illustrates the challenges that the young girl had to face after meeting an ornithologist hunter, which in turn, lead her into a situation, wherein she had discovered her passion for her newly-inhabited country life. Criticism of “A White Heron” would reveal the experiences of Sylvia with regards to her current situation.

Discussion

It is important to state that this particular literary piece can be criticized in the light of reader-response criticism, which is one of the literary criticism theories to distinguish the details that remain involved in it. Through this theory, the query as to if the reader has adequately acknowledged the text’s significance can be properly addressed. On this ground, it can be stated that the particular text (“A White Heron”) needs to be evaluated thoroughly to understand its real value.

Analysis of the Story

The story sets off with the description of Sylvia residing with her grandmother in the country for a year. She is seen to try and adapt the varied ways of the country, as initially, she was found to be living with her parents in a noisy city, much different from the serene country. Sylvia renders help to her grandmother in accomplishing some of the manual jobs, which involved finding the cow, Mistress Molly and bringing her back home. This can be understood from certain lines that in the story, i.e. “A little girl was driving home her cow, a plodding, dilatory, provoking creature in her behavior, but a valued companion for all that. They were going away from the western light, and striking deep into the dark woods, but their feet were familiar with the path” (Jewett 1). These lines have illustrated not only the duty of Sylvia but also the familiarity between both of them with regards to their going back home. Considering this aspect, it could be inferred that Sylvia regularly performed her duty in this way and was hence well-acquainted with the path that led through the woods. These forest explorations had hence turned Sylvia into a country girl, who had suddenly started love her new home dearly.

However, the story soon ignites the situation that brings somewhat situational complexes for Sylvia as on one such evening, when she took the same path, she had ended up meeting an ornithologist hunter, who shoots birds for preserving them in his collection. He had asked Sylvia for some help from by stating, “Speak up and tell me what your name is and whether you think I can spend the night at your house, and go out gunning early in the morning” (Jewett p.3). On this enquiry, Sylvia got alarmed and tried to imagine her grandmother’s reaction when she will see Sylvia approaching their house with the stranger. Through this, the concern that Sylvia possessed for her grandmother has been briefly illustrated. It also signified the sudden fear that entered the mind of on meeting the hunter for the first time in the woods, as he carried a gun along with him. Contextually, she did not find him trustworthy at the first instance but still rendered help by allowing him to accompany her and even resides in their house for the night.

Right after that, when both Sylvia and the hunter reached her home, the grandmother allowed the hunter to spend a night. Therein, the grandmother became aware of the motive of the hunter for visiting the woods, which was actually to locate an exceptional white heron, residing in these woods so that it could be killed and added to his collection. He was also ready to offer ten dollars to anyone, who would help him catch the heron. This made Sylvia dream all through the night as to what pleasant things she could buy for herself and her grandmother if she got hold of the money. Thus, it signifies a glimpse of financial hurdles that existed in their life. Therefore, in the following morning, Sylvia accompanied the hunter to the woods but failed to find it. During this situation, Sylvia was found to be admiring the hunter as she had not seen anyone similar to him till date. Nevertheless, she is also seen to be wondering about his actual reason to kill the birds he knew so much about. Sylvia also trembled at every gunshot and felt that it would have been better if both of them would have visited the woods without the gun.

The next day, Sylvia visited the woods alone so that she can search for the heron’s nest and surprise the hunter. After searching for a short while, she reached the nest crossing all hurdles and after she had seen the place, she started thinking of the hunter’s reaction on getting to know of the surprise. Nonetheless, after one hour, when she reached home, she preferred to remain quiet rather than answering the queries of her grandmother and the hunter. She did not even tell anything about the discovery she had made an hour ago. Sylvia just remembered about the time, when she and the white heron had experienced the sunrise together. With her silence, she proved that she had already chosen the life for heron that remaining friends with the hunter.

Evaluation of its Significance

Herein, in this text, Jewett attempts to illustrate the heron as a symbolic element. The color white actually represents purity and thus it reflects the virtuousness on the part of nature, which remains distinct from any kind of human interference. The ending of the text, wherein Sylvia spares the life of the white heron simply suggests the fact that through this text, Jewett establishes the inherent value associated with preserving nature. It also suggested that nature must be kept far from the reach of human intervention and violence. Nature must be held high and humans therefore, must understand that under no provided situation, it can be compromised. It can be rightfully asserted from the above-analysis that “A White Heron” is a kind of story, wherein, the protagonist is simply seen to alter her actions and realize her passion for the woods and its inhabitants with reasons accounting to her encounter with a hunter.

The theme that has been illustrated in the text is of self-discovery, wherein, Sylvia or the protagonist realizes the passion she possessed towards the country she had settled in just a year ago. In the text, she is seen to possess more knowledge about the birds and it was also apparent in the latter part of the text when she had also sighted the place where the heron lived. However, after she understood what she prefers, the life of a bird or friendship with a stranger, she instantly draws back her step and remains silent about her discovery. This directly suggests that Sylvia had clearly understood her priorities and had taken the decision accordingly. Furthermore, it is important to state that the main conflict that has been identified in this story is human vs. nature, wherein nature is found to ultimately win. Thus, the lesson that Jewett had attempted to portray through the text had been undertaken successfully.

Conclusion

Sarah Orne Jewett in “A White Heron” beautifully describes the way, in which a conflict arouses in front of the protagonist in choosing either the hunter or nature in the text. The portrayal of the situation that leads to the said conflict has also been elucidated in a definite way so that the course of the text can be achieved painlessly. Specifically, Sylvia’s self-discovery of realizing the fact that the value of nature is immense and it cannot be endangered on the mere basis of entering into a friendship with another individual. Sylvia throughout the text carries forward the situation and demonstrates the possible needs and struggles so that audiences get to understand her place while facing the afore-mentioned conflict. Jewett attempted to attract the readers about the fact that nothing can hamper one’s value if proper realization takes place. Specifically, through the text, the significance associated with nature has been acknowledged in details, thereby portraying its serenity in the true sense.

Works Cited

• Jewett, Sarah Orne. A White Heron and Other Stories. Courier Corporation, 2012
• Raj, P. Prayer Elmo. 'Text And Meaning in Stanely Fish’s Reader-Response Criticism.' Cognitive Discourses International Multidisciplinary Journal, vol.1, no.3, 2013, pp. 1-3.