Theme Of The WHITE HERON by Sarah Orne Jewett

Question

What is the theme of the white heron in the short story by Sarah Orne Jewett?

My first idea was Sylvia decides it's protect the beauty of nature by not telling the hunter where it was located. I dont know if thats a good enough thesis

Answer 1

Jewett presents readers with a series of conflicting values, all of which may be included under the theme of the country versus the city. By having Sylvia choose nature over civilization, Jewett clearly indicates her own preference while she also acknowledges the cost of making that choice. The hunter who pursues the white heron is from the city and is therefore tainted by civilization. In fact, like the “great red-faced boy,” he represents a threat to Sylvia: He may not physically harm her, but he can corrupt her by enticing her to “sell out” nature by taking money for information.

Answer 2

"The White Heron" is a story based largely around the theme of women's liberation.

While yes, it is a story about protecting nature and the beautiful things within it, the freedom of the white heron is also a metaphor for womanly freedom and youth. Remember that hunters often kill and preserve the animals the things they catch, usually through taxidermy, which is an apt description for the way wives were treated around 1886. The wife was subservient to the man, often there to look pretty and be a status symbol, but not do much else, not unlike an exotic stuffed bird.

Think about how this can relate back to Sylvia's free-spirited nature.