"A White Heron," by Orne Jewett is a story about a young girl living on a farm in New England. Sylvia, the young girl lived her first eight years of her life in a manufacturing town, but she now lives with her grandmother, Mrs. Tilley, on her farm. One day while Sylvia was exploring in the woods, a young hunter approached her. At first she was scared, but later looked at him with "loving admiration." The hunter was in search for a white heron he wanted to kill for his collection of stuffed birds. The rest of the story takes the reader through Sylvia's adventure for that white bird. She is able to locate its nest, but faces the decision of whether to tell the hunter. .
Mrs. Tilley, Sylvia's grandmother, is an outside character. Though with her detailed descriptions of Sylvia, one can tell that she is very supportive of her granddaughter's curiosity of the world. For example when she is talking to the hunter she says, "I"m willin" to help support," (531). She wants Sylvia to free and adventurous which is one of the reasons Sylvia does explore for day on end. She is also accepting of the hunter, when he wants to stay at the house and get something to eat, she replies, "Dear sakes, yes," (531). Not everyone would just opening accept a stranger to stay at their house, as well as offering them food. .
The "tall young man, who carried a gun," (530), or the hunter is the love of Sylvia, but in a way he is only using her for his advantage. He has a large collection of stuffed birds and want one of a White heron, and because Sylvia is adventurous he wants her to help him. The way Sylvia sees him is exactly what he wants, but what he doesn't know is that, she is a smart little girls who doesn't fall for deception. .
Sylvia can be described as an environment lover or as her grandmother stated, "there ain't a foot o" ground she don't know her way over." (531) She seeks for answers. Slyvia wants to learn about the wilderness; therefore she must explore it with open arms.
