The Country of the Pointed Firs Response

When reading The Country of the Pointed Firs, by Sarah Orne Jewett, the first thing that came to mind was the fact that it is perhaps the most descriptive series of stories I have ever read. In her writing Jewett uses fantastic, colorful words to describe the setting and events that occur. Words and phrases such as “the few houses which seemed to be securely wedged and tree-nailed in among the ledges by the Landing” (7), “The hot midsummer sun makes prisons of these small islands that are a paradise in early June, with their cool springs and short thick-growing grass” (33), and “Elijah Tilley…was in a thick blue flannel shirt with white crockery buttons, a faded waistcoat and trousers heavily patched at the knees”(104), are examples of the depth with which she describes her stories in. Her words and style of writing are extremely well planned out, and gives the reader a sense that they are witnessing the events in the book first hand. Jewett even leaves the narrator unnamed, so as to aid the reader in their own immersion into the story. However, the book is more than just a detailed account of the events and scenery that surround Dunnet Landing. This can be seen by analyzing Jewett’s style of writing.

Her style of writing involves extremely descriptive narrations all with a common thread, and thus can be classified as a short story cycle. The thread is not linear however; as there is no real order or reason as to why one story follows the other. Instead it can be better classified as a tree with many branches, each connected to the trunk. In lieu of using plot to connect the different parts of her story, Jewett uses location. This allows her to essentially take the reader wherever she would like with the story without being accused of rambling. Also by using this style, Jewett is attempting to inform the readers that plot is not everything in a story and that a book can instead be substantiated and even enhanced by an investigation of the lives of different characters. Even further Jewett asserts that people can be enhanced by stories and storytelling. Evidence of this can be seen when Captain Littlepage recounts the story of the waiting place. Captain Littlepage, who had earlier been described as “an aged grasshopper of some strange human variety” (15) and “pale and old” (14), comes to life as he tells the story. In fact he undergoes a complete 180, “spr[inging] to his feet in excitement” (26) and regaining his “alert, determined look and the seafaring, ready aspect” (27). In my mind Jewett’s work is a lasting legacy of the attitude people used to have about the lives of others. They actually cared about and were interested in the occurrences of others lives.

Throughout the book almost every character has their personal story revealed (or at least some part of it), with the exception of the narrator. In my opinion this omission is Jewett’s way of persuading her readers to explore the lives and stories of others, instead of their own. Jewett could have opted to tell the story of the narrator in The Country of the Pointed Firs, but instead uses the narrator as a medium to tell the stories of others. She even goes as far as to use the characters the narrator meets as a medium to tell the stories of others.

Only through a thorough analysis of Jewett’s writing style can her stories be appreciated fully for what they are; a look into a distant past where people cared about others and their lives, and a plea for people to be concerned with more than just themselves.