An Analysis of Sarah Orne Jewett’s excerpt from A White Heron

1. An Analysis of Sarah Orne Jewett’s excerpt from A White Heron “Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair” -Khalil Gibran

2. Theme Statement • Man and nature have a symbiotic relationship that allows them to experience struggles that lead them to an internal and external triumph.

3. Literary Elements • Tone • Personification • Animal Imagery • Narrative Pace • Point of View • Nature Imagery • Syntax • Simile

4. A lyrical and majestic tone prove that the tree is just as important as the girl • Line 7-10: “the stately head of this old pine towered above them all and made a landmark for sea and shore miles and miles away.”

5. Personification equalizes man and nature. • Line 16: “There was the huge tree asleep yet in the paling moonlight.”

6. Animal imagery shows the shared qualities between man and nature. • Line 21: “her bare feet and fingers, that pinched and held like a bird’s claw.”

7. Metaphor highlights the struggle ahead. • Line 21: “the monstrous ladder”

8. Effusive tone- as the author describes the happenings with such detail • Lines 23-27: “ .. where she was almost lost among the dark branches and the green leaves heavy and wet with dew; a bird fluttered off its pest, a red squirrel ran to and fro and scolded pettishly at the harmless housebreaker.”

9. Didactic tone- as if the forest is ordering all of the steps of the animals around Sylvia, as well as her steps. • Line 27: “ First she must mount the white oak tree that grew alongside, where she was almost lost among the dark branches and the green leaves heavy and wet with dew; a bird fluttered off its nest, and a red squirrel ran to and fro and scolded pettishly at the harmless housebreaker.”

10. Encouraging tone- showing the struggle of climbing the tree and the struggle shaping you and pushing you forward. • Line 35-38: “ .. the way was harder than she thought; she must reach far and hold fast, the sharp twigs caught and held her and scratched her like angry talons ..”

11. Vivid imagery gives the reader a sense of how evasive and captivating the forest was. • Line 25: “... where she was almost lost among the dark branches and the green leaves heavy and wet with dew; a bird fluttered off its pest, a red squirrel ran to and fro and scolded pettishly at the harmless housebreaker.”

12. The narrative pace increases to show the sense of adventure. • Line 23-37: “First, she must mount the white oak tree that grew alongside .. she crept out along the swaying oak limb at last, and took the daring step across into the old pine tree.. the way was harder than she thought; she must reach far and hold fast, the sharp twigs caught and held her and scratched her like angry talons.”

13. Personification makes their relationship more realistic. • Line 35-38: “... the way was harder than she thought; she must reach far and hold fast, the sharp twigs caught and held her and scratched her like angry talons...”

14. Point of view changes the focus to the tree to show it’s significance. • Line 41: “Lengthen itself.” • Line 49: “The old pine must have loved his new dependent.”

15. Nature imagery relates itself to the struggle by showing danger. • Line 45: “ponderous frame.” • Line 47: “least twigs” • Line 53: “held away winds”

16. Nature imagery with positive connotations in the end which contrasts with the earlier images. • Line 59: “golden dazzle” • Line 63: “blue sky” • Line 66: “among the clouds”

17. Simile is used to reinforce the idea that Sylvia is one with nature. • Line 55: “Sylvia’s face is like a pale star, if one had seen it from the ground…”

18. Long compound sentences to show how man and nature are intertwined. • Line 63: “Their gray feathers were as soft as moths; they seemed only a little way from the tree, and Sylvia felt as if she too could go flying away among the clouds.” • Line 66: “Westward the woodlands and farms reached miles and miles into the distance; here and there were church steeples, and white villages; truly it was a vast and awesome world.”

19. How I can relate • The children from a Bridge to Terabithiawere able to experience nature to it’s fullest extent because they appreciated it. Nature inspired a different world for them where they could overcome struggles through imaginary adventures.