An Analysis Of Jewett's 'Tranquility In Loyalty'

Tranquility in Loyalty
At her grandmother's farm Sylvia, the heroine whispered to the cats that "This was a beautiful place to live in, and she never should wish to go home” (Sarah Orne Jewett). She started out as a beautiful flower and then gradually turned into the "wretched dry geranium that belonged to a town neighbor" (Jewett). When she met the hunter further along in the story she was described as hanging her head "as if the stem of it were broken" (Thomas L. Erskine). These aspects symbolized the tranquility of rural versus the despondency of city life. One of the few people who recognized the difference was Theodora Sarah Orne Jewett was born in 1849 in the New England village of South Berwick, Maine. Jewett's career and personal life
The character of the hunter was described as "tall young man, who carried a gun over his shoulder" (Jewett). In the story, Jewett explained that the hunter taught Sylvia about the birds and asked for the white heron’s whereabouts. The hunter wanted to get his way. Critic Bily explained in her analysis that, “the hunter is everything Sylvia is not. He was friendly and outgoing, while Jewett described Sylvia as ‘afraid of folks.’ Sylvia would rather be around the animals while the hunter would rather hunt them down and stuff them. Sylvia saw him as friendly and trusted him. The hunter used her shyness and his outgoing nature to his advantage. He wanted to take the heron but then he peacefully asked for Sylvia’s assistance in finding it. Sylvia liked learning about the birds and she wanted the money to help her grandmother so she considered his offer. She preferred nature rather than the benefits of
“The birds sang louder and louder. At last he sun came up bewildering bright. Sylvia could see the white sails of ships out at sea, and the clouds that were purple and rose-colored and yellow at first began to fade away. Where was the white heron’s nest in the sea of green branches, and was this wonderful sight and pageant of the world the only reward for having climbed to such a giddy height?” (Jewett). The clarity of the image of the sea, the sun, and two hawks make the observers feel as if they too could fly out over the world. (Terry Heller). The author used vivid imagery to describe Sylvia’s emotions as she experienced the beauty of nature. Sylvia was conflicted about her desire to preserve the beauty of nature versus the benefits of city