Comparing and Contrasting Sarah Orne Jewett's work
I’m Sensing a Pattern
In general, authors follow a pattern when writing. Some may use foreshadowing or irony in all of their work, while others may have characters that are alike. Sarah Orne Jewett is no exception to this generalization. Her poems, stories, novellas, and books commonly contain similar traits. Sarah Orne Jewett, an author best known for her local color works, often wrote in first-person, used allusions and historical references, and set her stories in the New England area.
Using first-person point of view is one of the typical traits in Jewett’s short stories. “The White Rose Road” and “Going to Shrewsbury” are just two examples of her first-person accounts. One of her stories, “Looking Back on Girlhood,” is written in first-person, but is also told from Jewett’s point of view instead of a character’s. In all of her writing, the use of first-person offers a unique view for the reader.
Historical references and allusions are also common in Jewett’s work. “Looking Back on Girlhood” comments on the War of 1812 and the Civil War. Jewett also mentions the regicides of King Charles I and refers to the Protestant Church in “The White Rose Road.” However, the allusions and references in “Going to Shrewsbury” are more apparent. One sentence in the story, “With all their work an’ pride they can’t make a dandelion,” is a biblical reference to Matthew 6:28-30 and possibly Colossians 1:16-17. Jewett also talks about “Leavitt’s Almanac,” created by Dudley Leavitt, a New Hampshire mathematician, author, and teacher. One final reference used by in “Going to Shrewsbury” is the “spool factory,” which refers to the important nineteenth-century New England textile industry.
Another common denominator in Jewett’s stories is where they take place. Most of her stories take place in the New England area, but some don’t specify the location. Because “Looking Back on Girlhood” is an account of Jewett’s childhood, it is clearly set in her home state—Maine. Also, “The
In general, authors follow a pattern when writing. Some may use foreshadowing or irony in all of their work, while others may have characters that are alike. Sarah Orne Jewett is no exception to this generalization. Her poems, stories, novellas, and books commonly contain similar traits. Sarah Orne Jewett, an author best known for her local color works, often wrote in first-person, used allusions and historical references, and set her stories in the New England area.
Using first-person point of view is one of the typical traits in Jewett’s short stories. “The White Rose Road” and “Going to Shrewsbury” are just two examples of her first-person accounts. One of her stories, “Looking Back on Girlhood,” is written in first-person, but is also told from Jewett’s point of view instead of a character’s. In all of her writing, the use of first-person offers a unique view for the reader.
Historical references and allusions are also common in Jewett’s work. “Looking Back on Girlhood” comments on the War of 1812 and the Civil War. Jewett also mentions the regicides of King Charles I and refers to the Protestant Church in “The White Rose Road.” However, the allusions and references in “Going to Shrewsbury” are more apparent. One sentence in the story, “With all their work an’ pride they can’t make a dandelion,” is a biblical reference to Matthew 6:28-30 and possibly Colossians 1:16-17. Jewett also talks about “Leavitt’s Almanac,” created by Dudley Leavitt, a New Hampshire mathematician, author, and teacher. One final reference used by in “Going to Shrewsbury” is the “spool factory,” which refers to the important nineteenth-century New England textile industry.
Another common denominator in Jewett’s stories is where they take place. Most of her stories take place in the New England area, but some don’t specify the location. Because “Looking Back on Girlhood” is an account of Jewett’s childhood, it is clearly set in her home state—Maine. Also, “The