Student Question

Describe the protagonist and antagonist in "A White Heron."

Quick answer:

The protagonist in "A White Heron" is Sylvia, a nine-year-old girl who thrives in nature and prefers animals to people, symbolizing a deep connection to the natural world. The antagonist is represented by a nameless hunter, embodying the urban desire to dominate and exploit nature. This conflict highlights the tension between nature and industrialization, with Sylvia's resistance underscoring the story's critique of modernity's impact on the natural environment.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

The protagonist of this story is young Sylvia, a girl of nine who much prefers the company of animals to people.  She used to live in the city but could not thrive there; however, she seems to have come to life when she moved to her grandmother's farm in the country.  In many ways, then, she is associated with nature, as even her name -- Sylvia -- comes from the word sylvan, which means associated with the woods or the pastoral.

The antagonist of the story is the urban desire to tame and possess nature, as represented by the hunter.  The fact that he is nameless is a good clue that he is representative of something larger than himself: he symbolizes the desire of many urbanites to conquer the country, to exploit its resources for manufacturing, or fashion, or personal use (such as taxidermy). 

The conflict, thus, exists between character (Sylvia) and society (as represented by the hunter).  The hunter himself, in isolation, would not be a terribly crucial problem, but his symbolism of industrialization, of the exploitation of nature for its resources, is the much greater issue.  The danger that modernity posed to nature during this era (the story came out in 1886) was, perhaps, not spoken of enough.  Jewett's story attempts to draw attention to the dangers -- not just to nature, but to humanity -- of the need to conquer and control the pastoral.

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial