Literary Analysis Essay on "A White Heron" and "That Spot"

Introduction

Short stories portray both similarities and differences in various ways. Different stories exhibit similarities and differences in the content, themes, characters, and narration. "A White Heron" and "That Spot" are short stories that have similarities and differences in the experience of living in different terrains. Surviving in Alaska versus peaceful living, weather, and terrain, environmental safety, and passion for animals are among the similarities and differences that are evident from the stories.

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Surviving in Alaska versus Peaceful Living

In the story, "That Spot," the characters strive to live in the land since they have to abide by the laws of the land. For instance, the narrator and Steve paid Major Dinwiddie since their dog had stolen moose-meat from his compound since meat was expensive (London, 2015). On the other hand, in the story "A White Heron," the characters live peacefully since there is adequate food from the cow and the berries. For instance, a stranger whom Sylvia met in the forest is given milk by Mrs. Tilley, Sylvia's grandmother. Additionally, Sylvia finds pleasure feeding on the huckleberry bushes (Jewett, n.d). Generally, the two stories show a contrast between living in Alaska and the farm.

The Weather and Terrain

The two stories exhibit the difference in the weather and terrain of Alaska and on the farm. In Alaska, the weather is cold due to the snow and ice. As a result, Steve and the narrator experienced difficulties in crossing river Klondike since the water had frozen (London, 2015). Therefore, they had to wait for the ice to melt. On the other hand, the village was characterized by summer sunlight, thus giving a warm weather condition. The weather made it easy for the formation of paths, even in the forest. Therefore Sylvia and the cow would walk comfortably even in the darkness since they were familiar with the way (Jewett, n.d). Primarily the two stories show a difference in the accessibility of paths in the regions due to weather and terrain.

Dangerous Environment for Spot and a Safe Place for Sylvia

The safety of the characters in their environment also shows the differences between the two stories. In "That Spot," the region has water holes that are dangerous for Spot. For instance, at some point, while the dog was running, he fell through a hole with water (London, 2015). Additionally, the frozen lakes and rivers Alaska were unsafe for human settlement due to the excessive cold. In the story also, the environment is dangerous for Spot since he was at the risk of being eaten by the group members and even by the narrator and Steve (London, 2015). The environment is also not safe for the narrator and Steve since there is a scarcity of food that threatens their lives. Additionally, Sylvia and her grandmother have a shelter on the farm that is safe for both of them. In the farm also, Sylvia is familiar with the forest, and she helps the stranger get his way out of the woods without harm to any animal (Jewett, n.d). Generally, the safety of the characters in the stories determines the safety of the environment.

Passion for Animals versus Survival

In both stories, there is a passion for animals that are exhibited by the characters. For instance, In "A White Heron," Sarah is passionate about the heron bird. Similarly, in "That Spot," the narrator and Steve love the dog such that they put their money into buying it. The passion for animals is also evident since Sylvia chooses to spare the bird rather than have the money from the stranger (Jewett, n.d). Additionally, the narrator and Steve contemplate eating the do due to starvation (London, 2015). In the narrator's environment, there is no wildlife and thus show a difference in the passion of animals in different regions.

Conclusion

The two stories effectively show the difference of living in diverse regions. Some regions require individuals to struggle and survive since there is a low supply of food, poor road accessibility, and a dangerous environment. On the other hand, other regions are peaceful due to the good weather and terrain, safe environment, and an adequate supply of food. Generally, the stories vividly show a picture of the benefits of living in the farm over residing around the shores of frozen lakes and rivers.

References

Jewett, S. (n.d.). A White Heron. Writing New England. Retrieved from http://www.public.coe.edu/~theller/soj/awh/heron.htm

London, J. (2015). That Spot. American Literature: The Short Story of the Day. Retrieved from https://americanliterature.com/author/jack-london/short-story/that-spot