Life, at its core, is a search for belonging, purpose, and meaning. However, humans often do not possess enough wisdom to determine what is worth pursuing in life. While double-digit years of life experience may seem like a long enough period of time to justify adopting a certain path, nature has existed and has provided for organisms for an incomprehensible period of time. While humans are inherently gifted with incredible cognitive and emotional abilities, we are also born with many of the same flaws and temptations. Therefore, Bridget Sprouls calls for a greater reliance on nature and spontaneity in her poem “Scout.” Through contrasting metaphors of modern and historical lifestyles, a thoughtful tone, and a disjointed form, Sprouls chronicles an individual's search for identity, suggesting that nature should be the primary guide of life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Sprouls uses symbolism to juxtapose the contrasting lifestyles of modern dependence on material goods with historical dependence on nature. “Old Austin” is a nostalgic adage often used by longtime residents to express displeasure with the rapidly changing culture. The speaker respects and admires an individual enough to spontaneously venture to this place in Austin that the man referred to so often. Austin represents the speaker's journey to a state of existence based on nature and reaction, a way of life that existed before urban sprawl and social fixation on technology. Ironically, the speaker did not foresee the extreme change that this “trip to Austin” would evoke, and so she planned a short trip, while “packing a bag, / watering the garden” (lines 3-4) with the expectation of returning soon, "and set out" (4). Still part of the current materialistic culture, it is in love with the "flickering of engines" (7) that represents modern, industrialized civilization. After experimentation and discovery, the speaker has become more integrated into Old Austin's call for coexistence with nature than in modern culture, and tension arises when the two conflict: "I would wake up to a sweet melody that screeches like ice cream and I stumble, half-awake, trying to answer the phone in the forest” (13-15) The speaker is tempted by his phone, which represents the all-consuming essence of materialism, but fails to successfully use the device while in the forest. This modern lifestyle based on material priority, while sweet and tempting, cannot coexist in nature, our original home. The extended metaphor of Austin as a travel destination reappears in the final stanza, as the. speaker is “eager to turn on the air conditioning” (24) to escape the heat and humidity The return to historic life and spontaneity is uncomfortable and is symbolized by the extreme heat and humidity of Austin. He longs for relief, through death and a return to Heaven, after an exhausting but fruitful life of intention and meaning. Eager to refresh herself in the comfortable surroundings of Heaven, the speaker is ready to give God a tour and summary of her life. Sprouls contrasts images of the “old” life in coexistence with nature with a modern, material-based lifestyle. Sprouls' thoughtful tone creates a sense of wisdom and experience, allowing the speaker to fully describe the process of discovery he undertakes. The beauty of spontaneity lies in the unknown, which is a gateway to endless opportunities for personal identity discovery.The speaker is only able to reflect on things like the “most embarrassing moment” (8) after absorbing everything from the trip as a whole. This writing style contributes to the idea of ​​completing his process of self-discovery, as he speaks in a definitive tone. This fundamental aspect of the poem is manifested in the title of the piece, as a scout is someone who is on a search, in this case for identity. Another form of reflection present throughout the work is his presentation of events with the benefit of hindsight: “So what if I drooled in rock receivers?” (16). The speaker suggests that she is not ashamed of drooling into these “rock receivers,” because she has learned from experience. The use of the phrase "so what" affirms the intentionality of a seemingly absurd action and suggests that she ignores the judgment she knows she will receive, because she values ​​her own personal discovery over the opinions of others. In this process, the speaker discovers that what she has been looking for is a reactionary existence to nature: “Someone needed to find a loft with flexible floors” (19). This use of the phrase “someone needed it” suggests that it was an essentiality and one that he eventually realized. This further contributes to the tone of the reflection, as the speaker can look back on her experience with pride, a pride elaborated when the speaker says, "Who better than him could memorize the acoustics of local places, know which houses were haunted, Which gutters did they lead to?” somewhere?" (20-22). In the first stanza, the speaker talks about "over-watering the garden" (4) before leaving, which highlights her previous naivety in believing that she would return home in her garden after the “journey.” The tone of reflection allows the speaker to tease out her misconception of subsequent discoveries and changes in her life. Additionally, Sprouls articulates the discomfort that inevitably accompanies a life led by and without the luxury of material objects. This discomfort is shown everywhere, by phrases such as “awkward moment,” (8) “someone needed to,” (17, 19) “stumble,” (14) “fall,” (23) and “ leave on foot.” (4) Although the speaker admits her desire to get out of the discomfort and “turn on the air conditioning,” (24) she also greatly appreciates what she has endured, as she is looking forward to do "the first tour". (25) of his life. The speaker's thoughtful tone allows her to describe the entire process of discovery she undergoes from a purposeful and wise perspective. Sprouls uses a disjointed form to further the theme of spontaneity and natural instinct in the work. While the first stanza is structured as a flowing thought, outlining context and setting, it is followed by a six-word stanza: “The beating of the engines has enchanted me” (7). Sprouls distinguishes this statement to emphasize his temptation to rely on material possessions, setting the stage for later clarity in the juxtaposition between materialism and nature. Suddenly, the speaker begins a new stanza and shifts to her total lack of money, which she says necessitated a period of prostitution: "Without money, bartering my eyelashes" (9-10). This sudden and unexpected confession represents the overall message of the poem which encourages us to rely more on impulse and “go with the flow”. The speaker then goes on to somewhat sarcastically thank the farmers for providing her with food, and the “hounds” (12) for not attacking her, referring to some of the men to whom she sold her body. By thanking these individuals, the speaker appreciates a seemingly dark and low point in her life, for it is where she ends up through her choice to live spontaneously and learns about herself.