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[1] After earning a few dollars working on my brother-in law's farm near Portage [Wisconsin], I set off on the first of my long lonely excursions, botanising in glorious freedom around the Great Lakes and wandering through innumerable tamarac and arbor-vitae swamps, and forests of maple, basswood, ash, elm, balsam, fir, pine, spruce, hemlock, rejoicing in their bound wealth and strength and beauty, climbing the trees, revelling in their flowers and fruit like bees in beds of goldenrods, glorying in the fresh cool beauty and charm of the bog and meadow heathworts, grasses, carices, ferns, mosses, liverworts displayed in boundless profusion.

[2] The rarest and most beautiful of the flowering plants I discovered on this first grand excursion was Calypso borealis (the Hider of the North). I had been fording streams more and more difficult to cross and wading bogs and swamps that seemed more and more extensive and more difficult to force one's way through. Entering one of these great tamarac and arbor-vitae swamps one morning, holding a general though very crooked course by compass, struggling through tangled drooping branches and over and under broad heaps of fallen trees, I began to fear that I would not be able to reach dry ground before dark, and therefore would have to pass the night in the swamp and began, faint and hungry, to plan a nest of branches on one of the largest trees or windfalls like a monkey's nest, or eagle's, or Indian's in the flooded forests of the Orinoco described by Humboldt.

[3] But when the sun was getting low and everything seemed most bewildering and discouraging, I found beautiful Calypso on the mossy bank of a stream, growing not in the ground but on a bed of yellow mosses in which its small white bulb had found a soft nest and from which its one leaf and one flower sprung. The flower was white and made the impression of the utmost simple purity like a snowflower. No other bloom was near it, for the bog a short distance below the surface was still frozen, and the water was ice cold. It seemed the most spiritual of all the flower people I had ever met. I sat down beside it and fairly cried for joy…

[6] Oftentimes I had to sleep without blankets, and sometimes without supper, but usually I had no great difficulty in finding a loaf of bread here and there at the houses of the farmer settlers in the widely scattered clearings. With one of these large backwoods loaves I was able to wander many a long wild fertile mile in the forests and bogs, free as the winds, gathering plants, and glorying in God's abounding inexhaustible spiritual beauty bread. Storms, thunderclouds, winds in the woods—were welcomed as friends.

Passage 2: William Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"

[1]I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
[5]Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
[10]Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
[15]A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
[20]In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Both passages use the word "lonely" in their first sentence. By the end of each text, however, the authors are no longer lonely. In a paragraph of 4-6 sentences, explain what changed their perspectives. What does each experience reveal about the power of nature? Use evidence from both texts to support your answer.

User Timmmm
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Both passages explore the transformative power of nature and how it can alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. In John Muir's account, he sets off on a long journey through the Great Lakes region, spending time in dense forests and swamps where he is often without companionship, food, or shelter. However, as he immerses himself in the natural world and discovers its beauty and abundance, he finds himself feeling more connected and fulfilled. Specifically, he recalls an encounter with the tiny Calypso borealis flower that brings him to tears of joy and inspires him to continue his journey with renewed vigor. Muir's experience reveals the power of nature to soothe and uplift the human spirit, even in the most trying circumstances.

Similarly, in William Wordsworth's poem, the speaker begins as a "lonely cloud" but is soon captivated by the sight of "a host of golden daffodils" dancing in the breeze. The speaker is filled with joy at the sight of the flowers, and even when he is alone and feeling "vacant or in pensive mood," the memory of the daffodils brings him happiness and comfort. Wordsworth's experience reveals the power of nature to inspire and uplift the human spirit, even long after the moment of encounter.

Both passages suggest that the natural world can provide a sense of connection, purpose, and wonder that can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. The experiences of Muir and Wordsworth demonstrate that the beauty and abundance of nature can be a source of comfort and solace in difficult times, and can inspire us to continue on our journeys with renewed energy and enthusiasm.
User SeventhWarhawk
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Answer: In John Muir's passage, he initially sets off on his botanical excursion alone, feeling lonely but exhilarated by the freedom and beauty of nature. However, his experience of discovering the Calypso borealis flower in a seemingly endless swamp transforms his perspective. He describes the flower as the "most spiritual of all the flower people" he had ever met, and his encounter with it moves him to tears. Muir's appreciation for nature's spiritual and emotional power is further evident in his willingness to sleep without blankets or supper and to welcome storms and other natural phenomena as friends.

Similarly, William Wordsworth's poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" begins with the speaker feeling alone and adrift like a cloud. However, he is suddenly struck by the sight of a "host of golden daffodils" that seem to dance and bring joy to the world around them. The speaker is so taken by the beauty of the scene that he cannot help but feel gay and happy in their "jocund company." Even when he is alone and lying on his couch, the memory of the daffodils fills him with pleasure and makes him feel connected to something larger than himself.

Both Muir's and Wordsworth's experiences reveal the transformative power of nature. In Muir's case, the discovery of a single rare flower in a seemingly endless and hostile environment gives him a new sense of purpose and meaning. He is moved to tears by the flower's beauty and feels a deep spiritual connection to it. Similarly, Wordsworth's encounter with the daffodils brings him out of his loneliness and makes him feel connected to the larger world around him. The beauty and joy of nature has the power to transform even the most solitary and disconnected individual, filling them with a sense of wonder, joy, and connection to something greater than themselves.

User Davidhwang
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