The author uses dramatization in this segment from A White Heron to turn what would ordinarily be a dull and uneventful story, into an exciting adventure. Sarah Orne Jewett tells the story of a girl in awe of an old pine tree by configuring imagery, diction, and personification into her writing. By using these literary elements she gives the story a sense of excitement and adventure. The author also tells this story from a childs point of view, using exaggerated details. These details that may seem far-fetched to the reader, however, seem very real to the child.
Sylvia set off one June morning in hopes to accomplish her goal of climbing the pine tree in order to see the ocean. She begins by making her way up an adjacent oak tree, from which she made the dangerous pass from one tree to the other (line 31). Sylvia uses all of her strength to hold on because she knows that one false step could send her crashing into the ground below. She is described as a harmless housebreaker (line 27) to the squirrels and birds whom have made the tree their home. The young girl struggles on her climb to the top, however she forges on in determination.
As Sylvia begins her ascent, the tree seemed to lengthen itselfto reach farther and farther upward (line 41). The author dramatizes this adventure by making it seem an unattainable goal. Jewett also strengthens the dramatization by personifying the tree itself: It must truly have been amazed that morningas it felt this determined spark of human spirit creeping and climbing from higher branch to branch (line 45). The personification of the tree enhances the action.
When Sylvia reaches the top of the tree, the view is beautiful, just as she imagined it would be. As she gazes from atop the pine tree, she concludes truly it was a vast and awesome world (line 69).
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