Erika Martinez

Period
March 2,2015
A White Heron
Sometimes fear drives us to do the right thing. A White Heron is a short story
that takes place in Maine. It is about a nine year old girl named Sylvia. Sylvia was
leading her cow back home when she stumbled across a stranger who was looking for a
white heron. He needs somewhere to spend the night. He ends up staying at Sylvias
house with her grandmother.While at their house, he offers Sylvia ten dollars so that she
can tell him where the location of the white heron. Sylvis is debating whether or she
should lead the young sportsman to the white heron. Sylvia will not lead the young
sportsman to the white heron because she is scared of the young sportsman and does
not like violence.
Sylvia is not going to lead the young sportsman to the white heron because she is
afraid of him. The young sportsman is having a conversation with Sylvia and her
grandma about the white heron where he is trying to see if Sylvia knows anything about
the bird, Sylvias heart gave a wild beat; she knew that strange white bird, and had once
stolen softly near where it stood in some bright green swamp grass, away over at the
other side of the woods. (Jewett 34). Sylvia has some previous knowledge on where the
young sportsman might be able to find the bird, but she decides to keep this information
to her self. Why would sylvia not be willing to tell him about her previous experience
with the bird? If she did not tell him about her previous encounter with the bird then
why would Sylvia be willing to lead him. When Sylvia was out in the woods with the
young sportsman looking for the bird, She grieved because the longed - for white heron

was elusive, but she did not lead the guest, she only followed (Jewett 34). As you can
see, Sylvia decides to stay a few step behind him even though she has some idea of
where the white heron might be, but she decides to keep just keep quiet.
Sylvia will not lead the youngs sportsman to the white heron because she does
not agree with the use of violence. Sylvia was out in the woods with the young
sportsman, she was admiring him but She could not understand why he killed the very
birds he seemed to like so much (Jewett 34). Since Sylvia does not like violence she
does not understand how the young sportsman can go out and kill something so dear to
him. Sylvia is not aware that the young sportsman goes out and kills the very things he
loves because it brings him joy. Also, Sylvia and the young sportsman were out in the
woods looking for white heron, the author then writes Sylvia would liked him vastly
better without his gun (Jewett 34). Sylvia knows that the young sports-man is going to
hurt the white heron because towards the beginning of the story the young sportsman
talks about how he keeps the dead birds, stuffs them, and shots each one himself. This
made her a bit uncomfortable and does not like the fact that he has a gun.
Sylvia is not going to lead the young sportsman to the white heron. She is not
going to lead him to the white heron because she is afraid of the young sportsman and
she is not in favor of violence. Because of Sylvia's fear of violence and the young
sportsman she managed to do the right thing and not give away the location of the white
heron.