Patience

The theme of patience is demonstrated as early as the first chapter. Helen’s father teaches a young Helen during a flashback how important it is to be patient when they’re in the woods together. At the time, he was talking about it in terms of bird watching, but it is something that is prevalent throughout the rest of the book. Helen is successful in her falconry because she knows that she has to be patient. In comparison, White was inexperienced and impatient when he was training Gos. He wanted Gos to love him right away, so he tried to rush the taming process. This doomed his relationship with Gos from the start.

While Helen might be patient with Mabel at the beginning of the book, that doesn’t mean she’s quite learned how important patience is. The theme of patience is subtly demonstrated...