Sarah Orne Jewett uses conflict to convey the message that humans must follow what their heart is telling them to do. Throughout the story, Sylvia experiences an internal conflict with herself. At first, her mind is pressuring her to reveal the location of the bird to the ornithologist whereas her heart is telling her not to in order to ensure the safety of the white heron. Despite the stranger offering Sylvia $10 to reveal the location of the bird, she feels like “she cannot tell the heron’s secret and give its life away” (Jewett 21). No amount of money can buy Sylvia into revealing the…