Essay on Sarah Orne Jewett's "A White Heron"

Everyone has at least one adventure in their life; whether it is exploring uncharted forests, or simply finding a shortcut. We all have set out on quests before. In Sarah Orne Jewett's story called A White Heron, a young girl named Sylvia sets out on an expedition to climb a tree. The towering tree is located in the middle of a forest. Sylvia believes that whoever got to the top of the tree could see vast amounts of landscape and terrain. Jewett portrays Sylvia's journey as an epic adventure. Jewett reveals this in A White Heron by describing the tree, giving details about the climb, and revealing Sylvia's triumph when she reaches the top.

The way Jewett describes the tree helps begin to build to the spectacular adventure of Sylvia. Jewett doesn't describe the tree as just any tree she describes it as "a great pine-tree" that is "the last of its generation." This makes the tree feel special, as well as different from the other trees, adding to the anticipation of Sylvia's climb. Also, the tree was "a landmark for sea and shore miles and miles away." The tree was so tall, that it made Sylvia's mind think out-of-this-world thoughts: "She always believed that whoever climbed to the top of it could see the ocean." These words allow the reader to picture a tree that is as tall as skyscrapers, laying a foundation for her dramatic adventure. The vivid and specific description Jewett uses to illustrate the tree creates an increasing stairwell of excitement. This stairwell keeps escalating.

Jewett increases the enthusiasm even as Sylvia climbs the tree. To reach up to the great pine tree, Sylvia had to make a "dangerous pass from one tree to the other" for it was so tall. The way Jewett illustrates the passing from one tree to another builds up anticipation in the reader. Even after Sylvia got on the tree, "the sharp dry twigs caught and held her and scratched her like angry talons." Jewett's rich language makes the reader visualize a great tree attacking a challenger that wishes to climb it. As Sylvia climbs and climbs, the tree seems like it is "a great main-mast to the voyaging earth." Also, the tree eventually seemed to "[love] his new dependent" and stood still while "[holding] away the winds." These descriptive words make a regular tree climb seem larger than life, making it seem like a great adventure. However, Jewett doesn't stop there; she keeps building onto the great adventure by describing the achievement.

Lastly, Jewett uses Sylvia's great feat to end the epic adventure she created. At the top, "Sylvia's face was like a pale star" if one saw her from the ground. She saw "the sea with
By her dramatization of Sylvia's climb of the tree, Jewett elevates a typical summer adventure into something more. The extravagant journey, once a mere childhood event, is created by Jewett's language and selection of detail. Inside The White Heron, however, lays a deeper meaning. The author maintains the meaningful theme that determination and courage can overcome any obstacle in The White Heron.