Paragraph about the Theme of "The White Heron"

Amita Bose
February 26, 2009

Freedom:
A Paragraph about the theme of The White Heron

TS The White Heron, by Sarah Orne Jewett, tells the tale of a young girl named Sylvia and what she experienced when a young man came to her, seeking help in his hunt for the elusive white heron. TS This short story possesses many themes, but the one that truly jumped of the pages and into my mind and heart, was the thought that freedom must be cherished and preserved. SD The white heron that was hunted by the young ornithologist was an uninhibited bird; free to fly with “steady sweep of wing and outstretched neck”, whenever it pleased. CM Sylvia saw the heron in its natural habitat at the crack of sunrise, as a faint pink stained the sky, and the bird flew majestically in the dawn of a new day. CM Only after observing this event did Sylvia realize how treasured the bird’s freedom was, and she took it upon herself to protect the heron’s secret. SD In the same manner, Sylvia came precariously close to losing her freedom to the young ornithologist, who stumbled upon her grandmother’s house as he was searching for the white heron. CM Sylvia was drawn to the young man, and she fancied that she could even love him. CM She was willing to abandon her freedom in order to “[follow] him and [love] him as a dog loves”. CM Eventually Sylvia realized that to follow the man would be a grave mistake, and she chose to cherish her freedom instead. SD Lastly, Sylvia found freedom at her grandmother’s house, which was located in the middle of endless woodlands. CM She felt trapped in the manufacturing town she lived in before, and the towering buildings that hid the sunlight and glorious woodlands made her crave for the open, unblemished expanses of New England. CM Only when Sylvia came to her grandmother’s house did she feel liberated as she roamed the sunlight pastures, watched the woodland creatures scurry in the brush, and heard the sweet calls of spring birds. CS The elegant words and beautiful sentences of The White Heron, weave together to form this message: treasure and relish freedom.

Assessment Jouranl - Entry #7

Amita Bose
1/29/2009

Assessment Journal – Seventh Entry
Today as I walked quietly through the halls of Academy Point, I passed several residents and then proceeded to exchange pleasantries with them. After the “hellos”, I would ask them how they were doing and almost all of them replied, “okay”. After I had heard this reply three times in a row from different residents, I began to wonder why they were only “okay” and not “good” or “great”. I realized that the residents as Academy Point might miss their families, whom they didn’t see every day anymore. Perhaps they missed the sound of their grandchildren’s laughter. Also, it could be the trials and tribulations of old age that made them only “okay”. One of the residents I talked to was hobbling down the hallway with a walker, and she seemed determined to make it to the other end without stopping. It was clear that she had a problem with her legs, and she might have been in pain. Perhaps it was the pains and problems that made the residents only “okay”. Whatever the reason is for the residents being “okay”, I am committed to helping them, or doing something for them, which will make them reply “great” when asked how they are. This is my goal: to make the residents and Academy Point have an extraordinary day.