Analysis Of Sarah Orne Jewett's A White Heron

We can all admit that at some point in our crazy and busy life, we have taken the time to look back and ponder on our childhood, our childhood dreams, the endless things we could do and not get punished for it, and the constant need to seek for adventure. But as an adult looking back, we don’t stop here, we continue to ponder and think about the importance of this event, the safety, and the ability to be able to accomplish it at such a young age. This passage from Sarah Orne Jewett’s “A White Heron,” takes us back down to memory lane and uses Sylvia’s climb to the top of the monumental pine tree to see the ocean as a metaphorical image to us, as adults, being able to achieve our wildest dreams for the future. This passage perfectly displays the danger, excitement and the “I did it” feeling by using a distinct narrative pace, a third person omniscient point of view, denoting diction, and imagery. …show more content…
She starts the passage by giving the readers the feeling of restriction and being held back. Sylvia, the character in the passage, prepares for her adventure to see the ocean. Jewett describes Sylvia using the words “small and silly” (line 17) to portray a picture to her readers that Sylvia was small and may not be capable of being able to climb the tree and see the ocean. After this pace of being restricted and held back, Jewett then proceeds to explaining the motivation Sylvia has so she can accomplish her “dream.” Jewett wrote her passage in a third person omniscient point of view so that she can enhance the drama and be able to respond to Sylvia’s climb. The narrator goes above and beyond the surface of the trees and nature to create a stronger sense for adventure. Jewett also took the liberty of animating the trees and creating an animal audience. This technique further asserts the childhood fantasy of