How Long to Read A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886

How Long Does it Take to Read A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886?

It takes the average reader 1 hour and 20 minutes to read A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886 by Sarah Orne Jewett

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

"A White Heron" is a short story by Sarah Orne Jewett. First published by Houghton, Mifflin and Company in 1886, it was soon collected as the title story in Jewett's anthology A White Heron and Other Stories. It follows a young city girl named Sylvia who came to live with her grandmother in the country. She meets a young ornithologist hunter seeking to find a rare bird that he recently spotted in the area. As the story progresses, Sylvia is challenged with whether or not she should tell the hunter she saw the bird. She also discovers her passion for country life and her love and values for the animals that inhabit it. Plot summary[edit] Sylvia (a young girl of nine years old) has come from the city to live in the Maine woods with her grandmother, Mrs. Tilley. As the story begins, Sylvia has been living with her grandmother for nearly a year, learning to adapt to country ways. She helps the old woman by taking over some of the more manual jobs, such as finding Mistress Moolly, the cow, each evening in the fields where she grazes and bringing her home. By means of this and other tasks, along with her explorations in the forest, Sylvia has become a country girl who dearly loves her new home. She has taken to it easily and immerses herself in her new life completely, as evidenced by the description of her journey home each evening with the cow: "Their feet were familiar with the path, and it was no matter whether their eyes could see it or not." One evening she is approached by a hunter, who is in the area looking for birds to shoot and preserve for his collection. This young man is searching in particular for the rare white heron, and he is sure that it makes its nest in the vicinity. He accompanies Sylvia on her way with hopes of spending the night at her grandmother's house. Once he has received this invitation, he makes himself at home. After they eat, he says that he will give a sum of money to anyone who can lead him to the white heron. The next day Sylvia accompanies the hunter into the forest as he searches for the bird's nest, but he does not find it. Early the following morning, the girl decides to go out and look for the bird by herself so that she can be sure of showing the hunter its exact location when he awakes. She decides to climb the tallest tree in the forest so that she can see the entire countryside, and she finds the heron, just as she had thought she would. This is the critical passage of the story. When Sylvia climbs the tree as a bird might, she arrives at an epiphany at the tree's top. High as a bird, she has broken free of the world beneath and "becomes" the heron. But Sylvia is so affected by her leaf-top observation of the heron and other wildlife that she cannot bring herself to disclose the heron's location to the hunter after all, despite his entreaties. Sylvia knows that she would be awarded much-needed money for directing him to the heron, but she decides that she can play no part in bringing about the bird's death. The hunter eventually departs without his prize. Sylvia grows up to ponder if her choice to conceal the heron's secret was a better choice than to receive the young man's money and friendship. The author states that the treasures Sylvia might have lost are easily forgotten among the splendors of the woodland.... Sarah Orne Jewett (September 3, 1849 - June 24, 1909) was an American novelist, short story writer and poet, best known for her local color works set along or near the southern seacoast of Maine. Jewett is recognized as an important practitioner of American literary regionalism.....

How long is A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886?

A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886 by Sarah Orne Jewett is 78 pages long, and a total of 20,124 words.

This makes it 26% the length of the average book. It also has 25% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886 Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 1 hour and 49 minutes to read A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886 aloud.

What Reading Level is A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886?

A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886 is suitable for students ages 10 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886?

A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886 by Sarah Orne Jewett is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

To buy A White Heron, and Other Stories 1886 by Sarah Orne Jewett on Amazon click the button below.