Analysis Of A White Heron

Of Nature and Childish Morals: A White Heron Morality is the ability to learn the difference between right or wrong and understand how to make the right choices. Morality is not innate in humans, but instead developed from a young age. A child’s experiences at home, their environment, and their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social skills influence their developing sense of right vs. wrong. Swiss psychologist, Jean Piaget, proposed his own theory about children 's moral development and that around the age of 10 children they recognize people may differ in the way they understand and approach a moral situation or problem. They also begin to understand that the difference between right and wrong is not an absolute, but instead must take into account changing variables such as context, motivation, abilities, and intentions (dev psych textbook). Sarah Orne Jewett writes about such a child 's journey in her story “A White Heron.” The young protagonist Sylvia, has her own moral awakening that begins at an integral level of individual development when she resists both greed and admiration in order to protect the white heron from a hunter. After overcoming these internal challenges, Sylvia moves from her childish worldview to a more mature worldview that allows her to reach a new understanding of her own morals. This moral development includes a realization that satisfying her own expectations is more important than fulfilling those of others. From the conflict between her