The White Heron

Is it just me or did this seem more like a coming of age story. The girl was young and isolated, when "Mr. Bird Killer" came in and let her know what an attraction was. She then went looking for the heron to show her loyality to the man and once on top of the tree; saw the ocean and had an epiphany about womanhood. She then decided that it was not yet her time to change and revoked her original idea about informing him. I dont know, thats whats I gathered from the story along with the obvious nature vs. science.