Sarah Orne Jewett's nineteenth-century tale “A White Heron” explores a temporary obstacle in a young girl's relationship with nature. Sylvia, the nine-year-old heroine, leads a simple life in the woods of New England with her grandmother. With little to remember about her urban lifestyle, Sylvia immerses herself in pastoral care. The introduction of a charismatic male hunter complicates his actions; he must decide the place of his company, whether in the new, seductive stranger or in his constant animal allies. Questions of morality and responsibility battle the desire to please Sylvia's new friend. Punctured by internal conflict, the protagonist of Jewett's “A White Heron” dedicates herself to protecting nature as opposed to complicity in its destruction, marking a subset of her transition to womanhood. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay At the beginning, Sylvia's childhood innocence is firmly associated with her environment and culture. Jewett's introductory descriptions of Sylvia construct an image of childlike wonder and simplicity with her surroundings, seeking her cow with "childish patience" and having "all the time there was, and little use to make of it ". These details are used to portray her age and overall purity, untainted by the city she lived in before. Aside from her grandmother and her animal companions, Sylvia's lack of social interaction further isolates her in her own space. It has its basis of independence, because “since the world was created there has never been a child so capable of wandering in the open air!”. Similar to her Uncle Dan, Sylvia needed to leave the hustle and bustle of the city to have new experiences. His innocence is preserved in a harmonious environment and, as the result suggests, he thrives in his new atmosphere with few memories of the sensational city in which he lived before. The meeting with the hunter is Sylvia's first step in her rite of passage, a separation from her life. previously held beliefs and transition of thought towards the possibility of satisfying the young person's needs. The young hunter is immediately painted as an evil character by his whistle, which "is not a bird whistle, which would have a sort of sympathy, but a boy's whistle, decisive and a little aggressive". The inclusion of this detail emphasizes the contrast between Sylvia's natural environment and the noisy city she left a year ago. While this is an implication of the hunter's intentions, it also “creates the sexual tension that will complicate, if not threaten, Sylvia's relationship with her home in the woods.” There is no previous hint of a love interest in Sylvia's life: this is most likely her first exposure to the feeling of love towards a crush. Especially in the context of her “heart pounding” when asked about the heron's whereabouts, there is a sense of excitement about the potential cost of her animal companions. This is a sign of growth from his youth, breaking the limits of his innocence by gaining this experience. However, the ornithologist's intentions need closer scrutiny. The Hunter is a manipulative character, who positively reinforces Sylvia to help him for personal gain. He manages to persuade his image in the story, not only to Sylvia and her grandmother, but also to the reader. Initially, he poses as a persuasive and armed enemy, a symbol of the destruction of his once undisturbed land. After she reveals his name, however, the hunter characterizes himself as her “companion,” aword used exclusively throughout the story to describe Sylvia's animal friends. The classification of the hunter as Sylvia's “companion” illustrates her conflicting ideals; takes on the role of tempter away from the surrounding wildlife that she has grown so fond of in her innocence. His interest in Sylvia stems solely from "exploitative reasons... his intent is to colonize nature and, ultimately, the female sanctuary in which Sylvia thrives." It has a profound effect on his youthful wonder and curiosity. Her desires inspire her to seek out the heron, exemplifying the inherited instability in their relationship with each other. Sylvia's youthful admiration for the hunter influences her, causing her to conflict over whether or not to help him. Its age is an important factor contributing to its handling by the ornithologist. The ornithologist recognizes the value of Sylvia's relationship with animals only as a means to satisfy her desires. Sylvia is processing her feelings in real time – looking at the hunter with “loving admiration” and realizing how “the woman's heart, sleeping in the child, was vaguely stirred by a dream of love.” Of course, it would be disturbing to discover that the hunter shared the same affection for a nine-year-old girl; however, the hunter's gestures show no sympathy for his relationship with innocence and nature. Circumventing her "family sorrows," giving her a switchblade, and his request that Sylvia reveal the location of the heron are exemplary of his exploitative attempts. The culminating moment of Sylvia's rite of passage blossoms from her refusal to reveal the heron's location to the hunter. Sylvia goes through a mental and physical transformation during her ordeal. He betrays his loyalty to the forest in search of the heron's hiding place. She is also struck by the acknowledgment of betrayal, where “the great wave of human interest that flooded this boring little life for the first time should sweep away the satisfactions of an existence... with nature and the silent life of the forest! ”. Sylvia recognizes the effect the hunter has on her perspective of nature. His mentality is influenced by the attraction of human interaction and his willingness to seek the hiding place of the rare bird further suggests this. The extent to which she travels is quite gruesome: dry twigs scratch her legs “like angry claws” as she climbs the white oak with “clumsy and stiff” fingers. This is not easy; in fact, he finds the journey more difficult than expected. However, he will reap the reward of his excursion once he finds the heron's hiding place. She gains experience in witnessing the beauty of the natural world, which prevents her from betraying the heron. There is a certain grit in his appearance after descending from the oak tree, "his old ragged suit is torn and tattered and smeared with pine pitch." Sylvia took giant steps to make a decision; demonstrated by his rugged appearance, gaining knowledge from his experience is a process. He underwent a physical transformation during his transition. Sylvia's assessment of her environment informs her decision, establishing a foundational lesson for her early life. A pang of remorse compliments his change of heart for disappointing his new human companion. Sylvia notes the opportunity she misses when she questions how “…she is nine years old growing up and now, when the great world first extends a hand to her, she has to put it aside for the sake of a bird?” The hunter could provide money and human interaction for her and her grandmother. This makes her refusal to help him even more impactful on the potential of his future, and “choosing the heron over the.