Character Analysis: A White Heron

Coming of Age When people begins maturing and coming of age they are forced to make decisions that will forever shape the way they are. In “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett, Sylvia is faced with a decision to either tell the hunter of the heron’s location and condemn it to death or to conceal the heron’s location and preserve the life of the bird. Although the question seems superficial, there is a much deeper question at hand as to what kind of person Sylvia sees herself becoming. She has the option to stay true to her values or betray them for money and promises offered by the hunter. Along with her age, Jewett demonstrates Sylvia’s youth by the innocence she sees in the world around her. The choices people make shape not only the way other people see and perceive them, but how they feel about and perceive themselves. In “A White Heron,” Sylvia faces isolation from her move from the city, the question of who she wants to become, the choice between the greed of humans and the sanctity of nature, and the moral dilemma between what is right and what is

In the midst of a tough decision, Sylvia discovers herself, who she wants to be, and what is important to her. Despite still somewhat questioning herself in the final paragraph, she still finds peace in the “woodlands and summer-time,” and this can only confirm one’s thoughts that she was happy with her final decision and where she was at (533). Although at young ages and confusing times, kids must always make the jump into young adult hood and begin forming their own personalities and interests. “The White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett perfectly illustrates the coming of age and some of the challenges faced by not only Sylvia but for any kid beginning the maturation