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A White Heron By Sarah Orne Jewett

Decent Essays

The Bird is the Word
According to writer, scientist, and environmentalist Aldo Leopold, "Conservation is the state of harmony between men and land" (BrainyQuote). In the short story, “A White Heron”, writer Sarah Orne Jewett, portrays the theme that nature must be protected and not harmed. Sarah Orne Jewett was born in the year 1849, in a small town in Maine. Growing up, she always wanted to be a doctor, being that her father was one. When she realized that becoming a doctor required years and years of education, she looked for another occupation. She was always a keen observer of nature. As a child, she loved reading classic books. She had admired how the authors transformed their thoughts to the page. She then aspired to become a writer. As stated in a biography about her, "A …show more content…

Whether it was left for a boundary mark, or for what reason, no one could say; the woodchoppers who had felled its mates were dead and gone long ago, and a whole forest of sturdy trees, pines and oaks and maples, had grown again. But the stately head of this old pine towered above them all and made a landmark for sea and shore miles and miles away. Sylvia knew it well. She had always believed that whoever climbed to the top of it could see the ocean” (Jewett). The tree symbolizes strength and wisdom over time. As stated by writer Thomas Erskine, "When she negotiates the ‘passage’ from the oak to the pine, she undertakes a 'great enterprise,' one at once challenging and fulfilling. From the top of the pine she can see the 'vast and awesome world' that lies beyond the safety of the farm" (Erskine). This represents that as Sylvia climbs the tree, she is growing up and becoming wiser, she is changing. This ties to the theme that nature must be saved because you cannot grow without it. The author also uses similes to help reinforce the

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