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A White Heron
What is an individual's responsibility to nature? Does our desire to understand the world give us the right to dominate plant and animal life? Should human relationships take precedence over relationships with other species? Is there any way for humans to co-exist with nature, or must we trample, dissect, or attempt to control it?
Sylvia, a shy child, 'afraid of folks', is taken in and reared by her grandmother to spare her from the hustle-and-bustle of late 19th-century urban, industrial life. A friend to birds and animals, it is only when she is befriended by a young male ornithologist that Sylvia comes head on with conflicts over value systems and loyalties. The resolution of this dilemma is skillfully wrought, revealing the complexity of the decision making-process and the ethical conundrum that will save, or destroy, the earth.
Sylvia, a shy child, 'afraid of folks', is taken in and reared by her grandmother to spare her from the hustle-and-bustle of late 19th-century urban, industrial life. A friend to birds and animals, it is only when she is befriended by a young male ornithologist that Sylvia comes head on with conflicts over value systems and loyalties. The resolution of this dilemma is skillfully wrought, revealing the complexity of the decision making-process and the ethical conundrum that will save, or destroy, the earth.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1886
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1145 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Orne Jewett
399 books179 followersSarah Orne Jewett was an American novelist and short story writer, best known for her local color works set in or near South Berwick, Maine, on the border of New Hampshire, which in her day was a declining New England seaport.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
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June 23, 2024
|| 2.5 stars ||
This felt like a very flowery love letter to nature.
It tells the story of a child who is completely enamored by the wild life around her, and who would give up a fortune to protect it.
However, she later wonders if she made the right choice and if saving a bird was worth more than money and the chance at friendship with another human.
This felt like a very flowery love letter to nature.
It tells the story of a child who is completely enamored by the wild life around her, and who would give up a fortune to protect it.
However, she later wonders if she made the right choice and if saving a bird was worth more than money and the chance at friendship with another human.
July 19, 2025
"A White Heron" is a powerful story about the importance of protecting nature and making choices that align with one's own values, even when faced with societal pressures or material temptations. It is a story that continues to resonate with readers today, reminding us of the delicate balance between humanity and the natural world.
February 11, 2015
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2022
A beautiful little story of a childs innocence and kindness of heart.
March 12, 2012
This charming short story is akin to a fairy tale for adults. A case may be made for deeper metaphorical meanings, but this tale should be enjoyed simply for what it is. A girl, when asked to betray a beautiful creature, is not swayed by gain but makes up her own mind. A wonderful tale of trust and right.
January 1, 2025
Um belo exemplo de uma pequena história em modo descritivo. Existe um enredo que nos arrasta, mas a força da história assenta na beleza emocional das descrições apresentadas.
February 10, 2015
You may read online here.
Opening lines:
The woods were already filled with shadows one June evening, just before eight o'clock, though a bright sunset still glimmered faintly among the trunks of the trees. 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 whatever light there was, and striking deep into the woods, but their feet were familiar with the path, and it was no matter whether their eyes could see it or not.
Opening lines:
The woods were already filled with shadows one June evening, just before eight o'clock, though a bright sunset still glimmered faintly among the trunks of the trees. 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 whatever light there was, and striking deep into the woods, but their feet were familiar with the path, and it was no matter whether their eyes could see it or not.
May 12, 2011
Nature in this story is really symbolic of the feminine and the Hunter is symbolic of the masculine. The hunter's offer of money was a lure to have Sylvy submit her independence to man. The money was a lure to the symbolic love of man. By choosing to keep the location of the White Heron a secret she is choosing to remain independent.
Independence to a certain extent is good in my opinion, but I don't think that being dependent is bad - in fact in many things related to family and the gospel it is good to be dependent because it brings a bit of humility along with it. We should depend on the Savior to help us find peace, the independence comes in when we do all that we can do he makes up the difference.
In terms of The White Heron, Sylvy's decision was a selfless choice about making the heron more important than the money. If we look at how that relates to women today - how many women in the world put their family above their earning potential? It is about balance. There was balance on the farm before the hunter came and interrupted their easy-going lifestyle. Sylvy's decision was really about not playing a part in the death of the bird. Making the life of the bird more important. Women are blessed with a desire to nurture and protect. I think that this story helps to portray that feeling of the innate characteristic of women.
Independence to a certain extent is good in my opinion, but I don't think that being dependent is bad - in fact in many things related to family and the gospel it is good to be dependent because it brings a bit of humility along with it. We should depend on the Savior to help us find peace, the independence comes in when we do all that we can do he makes up the difference.
In terms of The White Heron, Sylvy's decision was a selfless choice about making the heron more important than the money. If we look at how that relates to women today - how many women in the world put their family above their earning potential? It is about balance. There was balance on the farm before the hunter came and interrupted their easy-going lifestyle. Sylvy's decision was really about not playing a part in the death of the bird. Making the life of the bird more important. Women are blessed with a desire to nurture and protect. I think that this story helps to portray that feeling of the innate characteristic of women.
March 25, 2023
The next shortest read for this week's required reading as the version I read was only eight pages long.
Similarly, like with Bert Harte's short story, The Outcasts of Poker Flat, I believe Sarah Orne Jewett's A White Heron to be a waste of paper, ink, and time.
Similarly, like with Bert Harte's short story, The Outcasts of Poker Flat, I believe Sarah Orne Jewett's A White Heron to be a waste of paper, ink, and time.
November 12, 2017
Ela até que precisava do dinheiro, ela e sua pobre avó, mas rejeitou os 10 dólares para manter um segredo... para proteger uma maravilha da natureza.
November 16, 2025
ah yes, the totally normal child who is "scared of folks" and has a "weird" obsession with nature and birds, definitely not autism right?
February 14, 2021
In Sarah Orne Jewett's short story, "A White Heron," young Sylvia had to make a morally challenging decision, typical of so many tales where the main character has to grapple with some ideological, seemingly ethical, dilemma, while at the same time being so poor she doesn’t know where or when her next meal will be. On a practical level, she can’t really afford to take principled stands, but if Sylvia had made the practical choice, there would be no story to tell and bore us high school kids with these nonsensical moralistic themes that it is better for oneself to suffer than to cause harm to another creature, usually--and in this case is--an animal.
The starving child Sylvia was fortunate in landing a job with a young, immensely likable ornithologist on the hunt for a white heron. But the heron’s beauty meant so much to Sylvia. She struggled whether or not to reveal the location of the white heron to her young boss.
Her final decision was to spare the heron's life, remain silent about its location, letting the man leave without the bird that he desperately wished to find. Although I understand why Sylvia made this choice, I personally would have not have done the same thing if I were in her situation.
If I was in Sylvia's situation, a girl with no food at home, living in a shanty house, I would have told the man about the white heron’s location. Pride is a virtue, but the poor rarely have the luxury of such virtues. Pride doesn’t feed an empty stomach.
I love birds and nature immensely; however, I don't believe that what the young man was doing was necessarily anti-nature, as it was implied in the story. He is an ornithologist: someone who preserves and stuffs the birds they kill to study them and teach others about them. I have been to several museums, such as the Vanderbilt Museum and Museum of Natural History in New York, where exhibits showed stuffed and preserved animals, many of which were birds.
While some people find this cruel, I personally learned a lot from viewing each specimen, and overall it was a very educational experience. In fact, it made me respect the animals even more by admiring the exquisite beauty and learning about the uniqueness of each one. I would have gladly helped the young man out, as his reason for hunting birds was not reckless and without purpose. Though the heron would have died, its body would have been preserved so others could admire its beauty and learn about it. Perhaps I’m jaded from living on Long Island, where waterfowl are plentiful: ducks, geese, swans, herons, egrets, and those rat-birds, seagulls of all kinds. I am in awe of wild creatures, but I do not elevate them above human.
The money Sylvia could have earned was desperately needed by her and her family. Her grandmother was poor and lived on a small farm in the wilderness. The man had offered $10, which is equivalent to about $200 in the present-day. It could have provided many things for Sylvia and Mrs. Tilley. Food, clothes, medicine, shoes…
Unlike Sylvia, I would have chosen to divulge the white heron's location to the ornithologist. The heron's death, while on an individual level would be very tragic; on a much greater level it would have benefited others. I would have earned desperately needed money, and the bird's remains would have been preserved so that the man could study and inform other people about it.
I understand the author’s theme of self-sacrifice. That a human being like Sylvia is capable of such empathy and sympathy, she wouldn’t harm an innocent creature, even if it meant her own starvation appears noble, on the surface at least.
I suppose there’s a reason why English teachers assign these stories to malleable-minded high school students. While on one level this short story is indeed haunting and sad, it mostly annoyed me. Life is cruel. But if we don’t care enough about ourselves to fight to survive, to me that says something even more tragic about humans than what the author intended.
The starving child Sylvia was fortunate in landing a job with a young, immensely likable ornithologist on the hunt for a white heron. But the heron’s beauty meant so much to Sylvia. She struggled whether or not to reveal the location of the white heron to her young boss.
Her final decision was to spare the heron's life, remain silent about its location, letting the man leave without the bird that he desperately wished to find. Although I understand why Sylvia made this choice, I personally would have not have done the same thing if I were in her situation.
If I was in Sylvia's situation, a girl with no food at home, living in a shanty house, I would have told the man about the white heron’s location. Pride is a virtue, but the poor rarely have the luxury of such virtues. Pride doesn’t feed an empty stomach.
I love birds and nature immensely; however, I don't believe that what the young man was doing was necessarily anti-nature, as it was implied in the story. He is an ornithologist: someone who preserves and stuffs the birds they kill to study them and teach others about them. I have been to several museums, such as the Vanderbilt Museum and Museum of Natural History in New York, where exhibits showed stuffed and preserved animals, many of which were birds.
While some people find this cruel, I personally learned a lot from viewing each specimen, and overall it was a very educational experience. In fact, it made me respect the animals even more by admiring the exquisite beauty and learning about the uniqueness of each one. I would have gladly helped the young man out, as his reason for hunting birds was not reckless and without purpose. Though the heron would have died, its body would have been preserved so others could admire its beauty and learn about it. Perhaps I’m jaded from living on Long Island, where waterfowl are plentiful: ducks, geese, swans, herons, egrets, and those rat-birds, seagulls of all kinds. I am in awe of wild creatures, but I do not elevate them above human.
The money Sylvia could have earned was desperately needed by her and her family. Her grandmother was poor and lived on a small farm in the wilderness. The man had offered $10, which is equivalent to about $200 in the present-day. It could have provided many things for Sylvia and Mrs. Tilley. Food, clothes, medicine, shoes…
Unlike Sylvia, I would have chosen to divulge the white heron's location to the ornithologist. The heron's death, while on an individual level would be very tragic; on a much greater level it would have benefited others. I would have earned desperately needed money, and the bird's remains would have been preserved so that the man could study and inform other people about it.
I understand the author’s theme of self-sacrifice. That a human being like Sylvia is capable of such empathy and sympathy, she wouldn’t harm an innocent creature, even if it meant her own starvation appears noble, on the surface at least.
I suppose there’s a reason why English teachers assign these stories to malleable-minded high school students. While on one level this short story is indeed haunting and sad, it mostly annoyed me. Life is cruel. But if we don’t care enough about ourselves to fight to survive, to me that says something even more tragic about humans than what the author intended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2013
What was impressed upon my mind while I was reading this was the ambivalence of the character of the young hunter whom Sylvia, the young woman, met in the woods while she was leading their cow home from pasture. First I thought he is danger, a massacre in the woods. Then I felt he is love, young Sylvia's first, and he would break her heart. But it turned out he is really interested more in finding the white heron. The rare bird Sylvia could deliver to him. But will she?
June 26, 2015
My favorite short story in the world! I want to name my future daughter Sylvia after the outdoorsy, inquisitive, animal-loving girl in this story. Definitely one to pass down!
Read
November 23, 2016"A White Heron" is a short story that reveals the importance, yet difficulty, of making decisions. The main character, Sylvia, must decide whether to tell the hunter, who is staying with her and her grandmother, where the white heron is or save the heron by keeping its location a secret. However, Sylvia and her grandmother are not wealthy and the hunter’s reward proves to be tempting. Sylvia must make an important decision before coming home to the impatient hunter.
This short story could be the companion text to “The Road Not Taken” or “The Outsiders” when discussing internal conflict and decision-making. My students could write a letter to Sylvia with their advice as to what she should do. This writing assignment could then be easily transferred to giving advice to certain characters from “The Outsiders.”
This short story could be the companion text to “The Road Not Taken” or “The Outsiders” when discussing internal conflict and decision-making. My students could write a letter to Sylvia with their advice as to what she should do. This writing assignment could then be easily transferred to giving advice to certain characters from “The Outsiders.”
May 29, 2020
2/5
Had to read this for school today. While I found the story's moral to be haunting and sad, I thought the whole story was boring, and it didn't make much sense. Not a fan of the writing style, either. Oh well.
Had to read this for school today. While I found the story's moral to be haunting and sad, I thought the whole story was boring, and it didn't make much sense. Not a fan of the writing style, either. Oh well.
October 28, 2018
This is one of the loveliest stories I have ever read. I will re-read this many times.
January 21, 2015
I didn't like the story because I thought it was dull and boring. I thought it was dull because it didn't have any excitement. The story didn't didn't make me sad or happy, the only part that got me close to exited was this part "He had promised to do this, and they needed the money. Besides, Sylvie wanted to make him happy.But Sylvie was silent" (Jewett) It made me a bit worried what she would choose. Personally I like stories with more excitement. I think Sarah Jewett should have written the story in first person because than I would have a bigger sense of what Sylvie thought and felt, plus since the story is all about what Sylvie feels wouldn't it be smarter to write it in first person. If I didn't have to read it for homework I probably wouldn't.
Plot- The story started when Sylvie was in the forest trying to find her cow. She was worried if her Grandma would be angry at her if she came late. When she finally found the cow and was heeding home she heard a whistle. She knew it was a man and not a bird and got scared. The man came out with and asked if he can stay the night. Lucky at that moment Sylvie was already close to their cottage and her Grandma came out and let the hunter in. The hunter told about his life and that he was looking for a white heron and would give them 10 dollars of she helped him find the bird. Sylvie agreed to help him find the bird. They spent the whole day outside but didn't find the white heron. In the morning Sylvie climbed a big tree and found the whit heron's nest. When she came home she couldn't tell the white heron's secret.
Jewett, Sarah. "A White Heron."www.manythings.org.Special English,n.d.Web.21 Jan.2015.
Plot- The story started when Sylvie was in the forest trying to find her cow. She was worried if her Grandma would be angry at her if she came late. When she finally found the cow and was heeding home she heard a whistle. She knew it was a man and not a bird and got scared. The man came out with and asked if he can stay the night. Lucky at that moment Sylvie was already close to their cottage and her Grandma came out and let the hunter in. The hunter told about his life and that he was looking for a white heron and would give them 10 dollars of she helped him find the bird. Sylvie agreed to help him find the bird. They spent the whole day outside but didn't find the white heron. In the morning Sylvie climbed a big tree and found the whit heron's nest. When she came home she couldn't tell the white heron's secret.
Jewett, Sarah. "A White Heron."www.manythings.org.Special English,n.d.Web.21 Jan.2015.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2015
I think the story was good because it shows how a girl named Sylvie has such passion for birds and other animals. Yet she still wants to please other people like her grandma, and the hunter she has feelings for. In my eyes the plot was very good where a girl is torn in feelings and wants everyone to be happy and satisfied. But then she has to choose one or the other (The White Heron or the Hunter). The story says,'A strange excitement filled her heart, a new feeling the little girl did not recognize... love.'(Orne Jewett) This part sort of changes everything the reader sees, in ways like the girl no longer sees him as a dangerous stranger, or that she now trusts him in a way. And in the back of peoples heads after reading that, they'll think what would she do because she now has feeling for this man but she still wants the bird to live.
The only negative thing about the story is that it could have been a bit longer with a bit more description in the paragraphs where she climbs the tree or when she is about to speak for the first time. Since it was in 3rd person the short story didn't really draw attention to me. I would have preferred it better if it were in 1st person. It could have had more description that way.
The only negative thing about the story is that it could have been a bit longer with a bit more description in the paragraphs where she climbs the tree or when she is about to speak for the first time. Since it was in 3rd person the short story didn't really draw attention to me. I would have preferred it better if it were in 1st person. It could have had more description that way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2016
3/5
“El viejo pino debió de amar a su nuevo habitante. Más que todos los halcones, y los murciélagos, y las mariposas, e incluso los tordos de dulce voz, estaban los latidos del valiente corazón de la niña solitaria de ojos grises. Y el árbol se estuvo quieto y plantó cara a los vientos esa mañana de junio mientras el rocío se hacía brillante en el este”.
Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909) cuentista y novelista que es, desgraciadamente, desconocida en nuestro país. Orne vivió toda su vida en Maine y sus obras reflejan mucho de esa tierra. En este relato, bastante breve pero con una belleza innegable, la autora nos transporta a ese mundo rural, en medio de un bosque que parece sacado de la mente de Thoreau. Allí, Sylvia convive con su abuela tras una dura infancia en la ciudad. Ama el bosque, pasear, hablar con los pájaros y llevar su vieja vaca a pastar; vamos, una existencia casi idílica.
Interesante relato, familiar y cálido pero que sigue conservando cierto aire perturbador y oscuro característico de las regiones ignotas de Nueva Inglaterra.
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August 13, 2008 Shy little Sylvia, driving Mistress Mooly home one day, (her cow) runs into a stranger who asks for lodgings. He adores birds, and stuffs them. There is a paticular bird he is looking for..... a white heron. Sylvia knows this bird, and has an inner argument on who she loives more. the stranger, or the bird.
Sylvia should be older, for her matureness. I cant believe how much story is in 50 pages.GASP!
Sylvia should be older, for her matureness. I cant believe how much story is in 50 pages.GASP!
April 4, 2015
I don't know why I am seeing so many bad reviews for this short story. I just finished reading it for my American literature course, and I really enjoyed it. I didn't find the analysis and plot complex, but it asks some compelling questions. The writing was rich, and all the description had symbolic value. Just because the story isn't filled with thrills and action, doesn't mean it's bad, people.
January 26, 2016
A White Heron is a pretty good story about a brave, kind-hearted girl named Sylvie. I enjoyed reading the story because it was written in a nice, interesting way, but at the same time it was a little boring. The story has a great moral and it can teach people a lot about defending animals and being kind in general. To sum it all up, the story is pretty good with the moral, but it could've been a little more exciting.
November 4, 2011
I really enjoyed the many dimensions to this text, even though it is a short story. The ability to read it as a child-like fairytale, on a simple level, or on a deeper metaphorical level... I found the tale quite powerful with a protagonist that stayed true to herself and her female independence, even though she is still a child.
March 16, 2013
Like "Daisy Miller," this story reads like early Jewett--Jewett before she put it all together and fleshed it out in "The Country of the Pointed Firs." Or maybe she's just better at longer works. Still, this is a fair piece about a young woman's desire and resistance to it.
March 6, 2008
Best Book ever written. Does a nine year old give up her soul symbolized by a White Heron? I read this in 1974 and it still reads as great in 2008.
April 15, 2011
Short, purposeful read. Great short story.
June 20, 2013
A beautiful coming of age story. I loved the imagery of her world. When she reaches the tree top, I felt like I could see the world down below with Sylvia.
January 22, 2015
I thought the length of the story affected the detail in the story
The story is in third person.
I think the third person gets well with the plot
The story is in third person.
I think the third person gets well with the plot
Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews