The White Deer Summary
James Thurber

Everything you need to understand or teach The White Deer by James Thurber.

  • The White Deer Summary & Study Guide

The White Deer Summary

The White Deer concerns faith in love.

Love depends upon the will of lovers to believe in each other despite all obstacles. Though the story is playful, fastpaced, funny, at times satirical and at times absurd, the theme is serious, as are the obstacles thrown up before the lovers. Secrets of the past and fears of the future, prejudices and the lack of imagination, accident and sorcery—all threaten love's survival.

Loosely adhering to fairy tale conventions, Thurber invites the reader into an imaginary world where an enchanted white deer, cornered in a magic forest, is suddenly transformed into a beautiful princess without a name. She sets King Clode's three sons—Thag, Gallow, and Jorn—tasks to perform to decide whom she will marry. The tasks she sets for Thag and Gallow are perilous but she chooses an easy task for Jorn, her favorite. In...

(read more from the Short Guide)

Study Pack

The The White Deer Study Pack contains:

The White Deer Short Guide