Please don't kill animals

Bildungsroman: A novel that recounts the development (psycholigical and sometimes spiritual) of an individual from childhood to maturity, to the point at which the protagonist recognizes his or her place and role in the world. (Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms)
Sarah Jewett's, A White Heron, is a wondeful story of a young girl faced with the decision to either make money for her family or save the life of a bird. Although a very short story, Jewett does a remarkable job of speedily bringing the young girl to the maturation stage. The story begins with the young protagonist Sylvia searching for her Grandmother's stray Milk cow. From the start, Sylvia is portrayed as a very carefree little girl who is entertained rather that perturbed at their milk cows antics. "Sometimes in pleasant weather it was a consolation to look upon the cow's pranks as an intelligent attempt to play hide and seek, and as the child had no playmates she lent herself to this amusement with a good deal of zest." (Jewett)

Once the milk cow is discovered Sylvia begins her trek home. It is on this journey that Jewett paints a very spiritual reliationship betwen Sylvia and her environment. Sylvia is very self conscience of the birds, the whispering wind, and the plants themselves. "She waded through the brook as the cow moved away, and listened to the thrushes with a heart that beat fast with pleasure." (Jewett) Her serinity is abruptly halted however, with a shrill noise. "Suddenly this little wood girl is horror stricken to hear a clear whistle not very far away." (Jewett) Jewett uses the words child and little to help the reader identify Sylvia's age.

The sound is a foreigner, and immediately young Sylvia is aprrehesive. The gun toting stranger ask's where he can find lodging and a meal. Well mannered Sylvia takes him to her Grandmother's. Upon meeting Slyvia's grandma the man reveals that he is an ornithologist seeking to kill a rare white heron. The stranger looks directly at Sylvia and offers payment of ten dollars for any hints as to whereabouts of this bird Although Sylvia is present for the entire conversation her young mind is oblvious. "But Sylvia was watching a hop-toad in the narrow footpath." (Jewett) Up to this point in the story it is clear that Sylvia is merely a little girl, she's not even conscience of her opportunity to drastically improve the quality of life for her family.

The next day Sylvia spends hunting with the stranger, "having lost her first fear of the friendly lad." (Jewett) As the two tramp through the wood looking for their querry Jewett begins to mature the young mind of Sylvia. "She had never seen anybody so charming and delightful; the woman's heart, asleep in the child, was vaguely thrilled by a dream of love." (Jewett) This line indicates that she is beginning to grow up a little. Yet, perhaps even more revealing is the fact that "she could not understand why he killed the very birds he seemed to like so much." (Jewett)

From this point on in the story the once carefree Sylvia is overwhelmed with excitement. So much in fact that she can't sleep. She has designed a plan to climb the tallest tree in forest with they hope that this high vantage point will produce the heron she and the stranger have been seeking. Just before first light the little girl makes her way to the tree and begins to climb. It is during the climb that Sylvia's mental and spiritual growth takes shape. Jewett beautifully describes her climb through the tree as a spiritual journey. "The tree seemed to lengthen itself out as she went up, and to reach farther and farther upward. It was like a great main-mast to the voyaging earth; it must truly have been amazed that morning through all it ponderous frame as it felt this determined spark of human spirit creeping and climbing its way from higher branch to branch." (Jewett)

Once atop the tree, Sylvia spies the bird she seeks just as the sun protrudes over the horizen.. Elated at her discovery and the beauty of the view, "she wonders over and over again what the stranger would say to her, and what he would think when she told him how to find his way straight to the heron's nest." (Jewett) Sylvia is very enamored with the stranger, clearly emotions of a young woman and not those of a little girl.

She climbs down the tree, exuberent with her news. All the while the stranger and her Grandma have been worried, not knowing where she has run off to. When she gets home they inquire, but suddenely Sylvia's new's isn't so great. In fact, she refuses to tell them where she's been. Her Grandmother rebukes her, "and the young man's kind, appealing eyes are looking straight in her own. He can make them rich with money; he has promised it, and they are poor now. He is so well worth making happy, and waits to hear the story she can tell."(Jewett) Amazingly, Sylvia has chosen to save the life of an innocent creature, over both money, and her desire to please a man; making Jewetts, A White Heron, a wonderful example of the literary bildungsroman or coming of age story.