Problems Remain
... 2-4). He sees the modernization of his time as a step away from the spirituality that he embraces. The “material” world brings him great despair. He has an extreme solution to his problem. He states that he would rather be Pagan, so he could see beautiful things: “Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.” (Wordsworth lines 12-14). Wordsworth grew up in North England, a highly Christian area. Being Pagan would have been looked down upon and made him seem barbaric. It is obvious what kind of situation he thinks the world is in if he is claiming that he wants to change religions. Wordsworth wants to be that “poet with a capitol “P””; he is making this observation about modern times in his world as a wake up call to the people to experience the true wealth around them. Mitchell’s song has almost the same message as Wordsworth’s poem. She views the situation of her time as distressing as he. Mitchell thinks that mankind is destroying the nature’s beauty for their own benefit. Whether it is a parking lot outside her hotel room, or “a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging hot spot” (Mitchell lines 2-3) right on a gorgeous beach creating an eyesore instead of beauty and tranquility. Mitchell has many symbolic statements in her song: “They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum. And they charged the people a dollar and a half just to see ‘em.” (Lines 7-9). Her “prophecies” may have not become literally true, but something to this degree has been happening for a very long time. Look at Yosemite or Yellowstone; two incredibly beautiful places that are not accessible to people that cannot afford it. She is saying that every year the human race is destroying more and more of nature without thought of ecological consequences. Someday, there may be nothi...