A White Heron

In this story, Sylvia is forced to choose between persevering the purity of nature or exchanging it for a chance at a more social urban lifestyle. The story begins by subtly suggesting that Sylvia has a deep connection with the pastoral setting in which she resides by depicting the way she interacts with nature. She has a comfortable sense of serenity surrounded by the trees and water and is instinctively frightened only when the sight of a man sends her scampering for cover in the brush. However, her timidness fades quickly with this city sportsman as she develops an affinity for his new and interesting lifestyle-one that is very different from her quiet life in the fields. She is so intrigued by him that she convinces herself she must find the white heron's nest to help him extend his rare bird collection. The story's climax comes when she decides to climb the largest and most sacred tree in the area in hopes of finding the bird's allusive hideaway. It is only at the very top, when she spots the white heron that Sylvia realizes she cannot giveaway the bird's location to the hunter. The girl's strong ties to the land keep her from exploiting it. She is pure and innocent at heart and knows she cannot betray the nature that she not only lives in but is actually a part of. She is a creature of the woods just like the heron and though solitude may be a part of this choice, it is a peaceful solitude that begets a perfect happiness- one that extends far beyond the limits of trophy hunting or any treasure bought with currency.