~Symbolism~

The White Heron

The Cow - The cow possibly symbolizes Sylvy. How Sylvy is hiding from what she should do. Instead of "going home" first, she hides. She hides behind the bribe of ten dollars, and believes that it is okay to tell the lad of the Heron's location. But just as the cow, she realizes that  she must "go home" and she cannot tell the lad about the heron. The home to the cow is the heron to the girl. Maybe, in a way. 

The Dark - Sylvy meets the boy for the first time when it is becoming dark. This maybe symbolizes that the boy is dark. He is not peaceful and lighted. 

The Whistle - The lad whistles at Sylvy when he first sees her. Sylvy first recalls that it is not the whistle of a bird. Ironic that she thinks of that and he is hunting birds. He whistles like a bird. I don't know....

The Frog - Heron's actually feed on frogs. Because the lad is asking her about the heron during the time she is watching the frog, I feel that this symbolizes the lad feeding on Sylvy for information. Also, how the frog cannot get into its hole under the door, as if to hide. The same as Sylvy felt, she wanted to hide from this boy.

The Color White - This symbolizes holiness usually. And possibly in this as well. The heron as a sense of holiness that belongs with nature. That is the reason she cannot tell his secret....

The Yellow Wallpaper

The Husband - He symbolizes the typical, old time husband. Controlling and direct. He symbolizes a loving, sweet trap. 

The Yellow Color - The happiness that the wife cannot get. She is trapped and cannot seem to be happy with herself or anything. 

The Bars - The are like the real bars the wife cannot get out of. They are a symbol of the wife being locked into a room with nothing to satisfy her. All the goodness is out and around her, she cannot get to it. 

The Child - Symbolizes the wife's genuine, innocent character. ??

The Women Behind the Bars - She is the wife, seeing herself. Not understanding it. She sees herself creeping around, hiding things from John. The writing! Sees herself being locked up in this room, writing secretly.

I really am not sure about this symbolism thing. And I am not sure if I like it. It just seems like I am making things up. :(