Jewett begins setting the scene of her fairy tale by using diction that provokes the imagination such as " bright sunset," "glimmered faintly," and describes the depth of the woods as being "filled with shadows" and "striking deep." (Jewett 66) As a fairy tale should, Jewett's story feels mythical and fantastical from the very beginning and intrigues her readers. Very similar to the classical tale of Sleeping Beauty, there is a young girl in the woods living with her grandmother. Sylvia is the main protagonist of the story like Princess Aurora, or better known as Rose, is in Sleeping Beauty. As readers well know, Rose was taken away by her three fairy godmothers to a cottage in the woods and posed as three normal aunts to protect the princess from the antagonist in the story. Sylvia's grandmother she is living with in the woods has many of the same kind and loving qualities as the fairy godmothers do and serve the same goal to protect the girl. Much like Rose, Sylvia has a companionship with the forest animals. Jewett gives the animals in the woods very life-like qualities when she describes them as "saying goodnight to each other" or stating a bird's-whistle having a "friendliness." (Jewett 68) The grandmother even comments that "the wild creatures counts her one o' themselves," and supports Sylvia's unique gift with the wild animals. (Jewett 69) However, the grandmother clearly states that she supports anything but crows which could represent the antagonist's evil pet raven in Sleeping Beauty.
One major theme in the story "The White Heron" is a coming of age tale. Jewett refers to Sylvia as a little girl in many instances throughout the story, but hints that she is blooming into a young woman when Sylvia develops a crush on the young hunter and reveals "the woman's heart, asleep in the child, was vaguely thrilled by a dream of love." (Jewett 71) In this story, the young man could represent many characters in a fairy tale and Jewett seems to call him by several different names to serve their various purposes. For example, Jewett describes the character as the tall young man, the stranger, the guest, the ornithologist, and the young sportsman but never gives him a name. By such descriptions, the young man could represent a handsome prince with the intentions to save the girl or a hunter with the intentions to harm the girl or her forest. Jewett cleverly uses the young man as both the antagonist as well as the temptation of love. In "The White Heron," Sylvia is faced with a choice as she comes to age. Should she fall in love with the young man where she could have "served and followed him and loved him as a dog loves," or should Sylvia choose her own path and live her life happily as the white heron does alive and free? (Jewett 75) In Sleeping Beauty, Princess Aurora is rescued by her prince and supposedly lives happily ever after in a castle with all the wealth in the world. However, Jewett was a realist and intentionally avoids the stereotypical "happy ending" of a fairy tale. Jewett gives Sylvia a choice to follow love and wealth or the choice to keep her freedom and not be captured by any "hunter." The white heron in the story could represent the transformation that occurs in many fairy tales. For example, Jewett deliberately switches perspective in the story when Sylvia is climbing the tree to find the white heron bird's nest. This particular switch represents the point that Sylvia has come to age and has chosen a path of freedom.
Jewett's unique combination of fantasy and realism allows the story to take on the simplicity of a classic fairy tale while also undertaking the complexities and depth of the real world. With a hint of feminism, Jewett pokes fun at the stereotypical happy endings of a fairy tale and empowers her protagonist Sylvia to choose a path of her own in this coming of age tale.
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You really made some connections here, and I enjoyed reading your post. The dialogue in the story is very indicative of a fairy tale as you point out in many examples. The woods come to life with the descriptive nature and tone of the story. I was also in Phase 2 and I found connections between "The White Heron" and "Little Red Riding Hood". It was refreshing to read a different perspective!! The inkling of love in the story is a very coming of age, childish kind of love. My question is, if the young sportsman saw something in Sylvia also, would he still have pursued her even if she had not told him where the heron was? I know this a lot of what if's, but was the young man so self-motivated that he would have paid of Sylvia and Mrs. Tilley and left the scene had he gotten the bird? Or would he have gotten to know them a little better?
ReplyDeleteAs you point out, on page 75, it says ". . . could have served and followed him and loved him as a dog loves." She obviously thinks that by disallowing him to know where the heron is, her chances with him romantically are over. But are they?
Your post was very interesting and the connections really made me see the story in a new light. I read the prompt, and the first fairy tale that came to my mind was "Snow White", because her love for animals and nature seemed much stronger than the other fairy tale characters. So it was very interesting to read this in a different perspective. I do not think that the "hunter" ever intended on loving Sylvia. I saw their relationship as more as a friendship than a small romance. How could Sylvia ever love someone who's hobby is killing the animals she has grown so passionate for? I think that if Sylvia would have told him where to find the bird, he would have killed it, and left to find his next target.
ReplyDeleteBut I think that you were spot on when you stated, "Jewett was a realist and intentionally avoids the stereotypical "happy ending" of a fairy tale. " Sylvia chose to protect the bird and her passion for the woods instead of selling out for the sake of love. It makes Sylvia seems stronger and more independent than Aurora. I think you are right that Jewett intentionally started the story off like a fairy tale, and purposely gave an opposite ending. Sylvia chose her passion for animals and nature over love. Where in most fairy tales, love is always the ultimate goal. Why do you all think that Jewett chose to make love the enemy in this story line?
Your did a wonderful job on this post. Good Job! I was very interested in the new perspectives that you introduced as well as the comparisons that you made to fairy tales. When I initially read the story, I did not see the fairy tale setting in the same light that you did. This may be silly, but I personally identified with Beauty and the Beast. I pictured the author's description of the hunter in the beginning to be more like Gaston (The arrogant and intimidating hunter). As the story progressed, I was able to relate Sylvia to Belle in her kind and compassionate ways. The final comparison that I made to Beauty and the Beast was that the Beast is never named. The hunter, or young man is also never named. I wondered if this was to keep the story mysterious and left room intentionally for readers to fill in the blanks of the story? I felt that leaving the young man unnamed was odd, but it added to the story because I was able to interpret his character in the way I felt best. What do you think? Do you think the author purposely left the young man unnamed?
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ReplyDeleteI think you did great job of pointing some of the main points of what makes this story very similar to that of a traditional fairy tale. One thing that you mention that I would have to agree with is that this story does seem to be one based on Sylvia "coming of age". I read the story after reading your blog post, but keeping that in mind as I read the opening paragraph it mentions, "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." This is very much foreshadowing Sylvia’s coming of age journey. As she leaves the bright glimmering sunset, her innocence, she is entering the deep shadowy woods. Although it states that she knew the path regardless if she can see, it still leaves her vulnerable to making a wrong turn as she comes into her own as a young woman. I don’t know if you saw this or not, but I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter. Do you think this foreshadowing furthers the idea that this story is very much like a traditional fairy tale?
ReplyDeleteI’m a big fan of fairytales and really enjoyed your post. When you say that “a major theme in the story "The White Heron" is a coming of age tale”, I see “Little Red Riding Hood” as a coming of age story as well, so I wonder if that story was inspiration for “A White Heron.” I do find it interesting the differences between the two stories as well. In “Little Red Riding Hood”, the wolf represents danger, a stranger, and evil, but at the same time is an animal that comes from nature. The hunter on the other hand represents salvation and leads to Little Red Riding Hood’s escape from the wolf’s stomach. These two roles are reversed in “A White Heron”. The hunter now represents the stranger, temptation, and an antagonist to nature. The heron is an animal that represents nature and is the salvation of the main character. I find this funny because both hunters have the same resolve to kill these symbols of nature, but in one story, killing the animal is the transition point (coming of age moment) of the story, while the decision to save the animal is the transition point of the other story. After reading your post, I couldn’t help but notice these similarities and striking differences.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I like how you state Jewett's diction creates a setting similar to a fairl tale and personifies the animals in the forest. In fairy tales animals usually can talk and the scenery is uplifting and majestic. This idea further supprts your claim that "the story reads much like a fairy tale on the surface." I strongly agree that this story ivolved both fabtasy and realism. Sylvia cares about the well being of the bird rather than pleasing the young boy she likes. Rather, she does choose her own path...an element that is foreign to most fairy tales. What do you believe the young hunter represensts in this story?
ReplyDeleteI personally think that the young hunter in the story is there to represent the difference between "The White Heron" and the plot of most fairy tales. The reader can interpret the beginning of the story as a young girl who is about to be swept off her feet by a stranger she meets in the woods. But Jewett decided to make the ending unpredictable and unexpected. The girl chose to honor her love and passion for the animals in the woods, and then just let the hunter walk out of her life. I think the hunter in the story was created to bring out the independence in the girl and show the readers that finding lover does not always have to be the happy ending. Sylvia seems happy and content with her grandmother and the animals in the woods. Her happy ending is being in the woods and surrounded by nature, not falling in love with the hunter.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post! I really agree when you talked about how Sylvia is faced with a choice as she comes to age. She has to choose between falling in love with this "prince" or taking on her own path. I feel that a fairy tale that relates to this story a lot is Pocahontas. In Disney's depiction of Pocahontas, Pocahontas is very connected to the nature and beauty of her surroundings. When John Smith arrives on her lands she has to choose between taking the side of her tribe to keep the land untouched and free of construction, or allow herself to fall in love with John and learn the way of the white man. This story to me is very similar to Sylvia's situation with the hunter. Also the willow tree in Pocahontas is very similar to Sylvia's grandmother because both recognize the main character's ability to connect with nature and they also share their wisdom with the main characters. One difference between the two is that Sylvia chooses to stay with her grandmother and keep the secret of the heron's location. Jarrett- I feel that the young hunter represents temptation from the outside world. Sylvia would have been able to have money, security, and possibly a husband. I think that Sylvia discovers her true connection to nature when she climbs the tree and finds the nesting spot of the bird. At this point she realizes that she does not want to assist in the killing of this beautiful creature. I think that she feels at that moment that she knows she will always have a closer connection to nature than this mystery hunter or any amount of money.
ReplyDeleteTo me the younger hunter represents a hinderance to nature. He comes in and tries to kill this seemingly scarce bird, the white heron. Sylvia values the forest animals and treats them as her own friends which lets the reader know why she chooses not to tell the young hunter of her discovery. She wants to keep the forest the same, and she ultimately decides that even the stranger she's become attracted to, won't intercede.
ReplyDeleteVery good point! He does seem to only care about killing the white heron. He wants to befriend Sylvia and her grandma for the purpose of finding the bird, not for developing a relationship with Sylvia.The hunter doesn't care about the value or the beauty of the forest like Sylvia does. This is one reason why I appreciate the ending of this story. I love that it strays away from the normal fairy tale ending. Sylvia gets to continue to be surrounded by nature that she relates to.
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