A White Heron Group

Question:

kokoosana
kokoosana
Student
College - Freshman

Why is Sylvia initially frightened by young ornithologists?

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Posted by kokoosana on Wednesday March 18, 2009 at 7:09 AM and tagged with a white heron, characters, ornithologists, sylvia.

Answers:


  1. ms-mcgregor Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    It is late in the afternoon and Silvia is bringing a cow back to her grandmother's. She has never been out this late and begins to think of a boy back home who she was afraid of.

    ". . .the thought of the red-faced boy who used to chase and frighten her made her hurry along the shadows..."

    Just as she is thinking about it getting dark and the boy who used to scare her, she hears

    . . ."a boy's whistle, determined and somewhat aggressive..."

    The combination of the darkness, her thoughts and hearing an unexpected male whistle, frightens Sylvia. The author even comments:

    "...the enemy had discovered her..."

    As it turns out, this male is an ornithologist who shares an interest in nature and birds with Sylvia. However, the young ornithologist is more interested in getting samples of dead birds for his collection than enjoying the birds and nature while they are alive and in their natural habitat.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/white-heron

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    Posted by ms-mcgregor on Wednesday March 18, 2009 at 9:35 PM