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Literary Devices
Definition of Allegory
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The Tortoise and The Hare" is... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and... read full definition
Allegory
Explanation and Analysis—Industrialization:
As a story that conveys a moral lesson—with characters who symbolize different aspects of American society—“A White Heron” can be considered an allegory. At the time Jewett was writing, manufacturing was booming in New England and many people were leaving the countryside in order to find jobs in cities. As Jewett became more and more concerned about the negative effects of industrialization, she wrote stories like “A White Heron” exploring these ideas.
In “A White Heron,” Sylvia represents people who have reverence for nature and live in harmony with it in the countryside. The hunter, on the other hand, represents city people who feel entitled to control and dominate nature due to their own greed (as seen in his desire to kill and stuff the white heron for his collection). Sylvia’s initial attraction to the hunter—she is described in the story as being “vaguely thrilled by a dream of love” when she meets him—is meant to symbolize the ways that rural people can be seduced by the allure of city life.
Though Sylvia initially commits to help the hunter in his quest to capture the heron, she ultimately decides to betray her promise and keep the heron’s location a secret. This is where Jewett’s moral lesson becomes clear—she believes that, like Sylvia, readers should prioritize protecting and honoring nature in the face of the violence of urban development and industrialization.
Related Themes:
