Humans have long been fascinated with stories of man’s struggle against nature. In Romantic literature, authors and poets portray nature as a place of refuge, inspiration, and a way to recapture the innocence of childhood, whereas realist writers expose nature’s deterministic indifference to man’s sorrow. For Rawlings, the setting of The Yearling becomes a character in itself, as she paints 19th-century central Florida through sensual experiences and moments of character growth. In an amalgamation of both Romanticism and realism, Rawlings exposes how nature can be both a comforting escape and a cruel force of destruction and death.

As the novel opens, protagonist Jody Baxter skips his daily chores to dawdle by a creek, soaking in the perfect spring day. He creates a flutter-mill, a small “machine” that harnesses the power of water to turn (in this case, made of natural components), which increases his fascination with the flow of water. Though Penny rears Jody with a respectful, realistic view of nature, the young boy experiences everything in the scrub with a heightened awareness of beauty. At times, the birdsong and the wind in the trees create a transcendental effect on Jody, as if he were communing with a higher power.