A White Heron

After I read "A White Heron", I noticed the thing that stood out to me the most was Silvia's character. I feel that she defines and adds so much to the story. Yes, she is the main character, but her decisions she makes throughout the story and how much she grows even as a nine year old little girl, show how important her character really is. Silvia chooses to protect the beauty and innocence of nature over money. The young man, who she seemed to fall a little in love with, offered her money for the knowledge as to where the white heron was. However, even though Silvia and her grandmother could have used the money, Silvia felt the need to protect the white heron, and let it live in peace. She had horror-filled images of the white heron dying and having blood all over it from a gun shot and she realized within herself she must protect the heron at all costs. Although Silvia had only lived in the country with her grandmother for about a year, she has completely and totally fallen in love with nature and animals. She enjoys the sounds and feels of the nature around her. Ultimately, this new life she has found is more important to her than any amount of money or childish feeling of love for the man with the gun.