Direct Experience of the Natural World

Stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me..

Both Whitman and Bello in their poems, and Thoreau in his artice, emphasize the importance of having direct contact with nature. To them, there really is no other way to experience it at its full capacity. They write to appreciate nature in all its forms and urge readers to do the same. They especially encourage a close relationship with nature through interacting with it on a daily bases and having a firsthand experience with it. Through this, nature can have a personal impact on the individual. No one person can have the same exact encounter with nature and have it influence them in the same regard. Their texts urge humans to have personal experiences with nature and its non-human capacities. They argue that first hand experiences with nature aid to growth both morally and intellectually. Humans should branch out, get out of their homes, and come in contact with the non-human world that exists around them. There are many ways to benefit from having a personal experience with nature, they argue. These adventures in nature can lead to a sense of freedom and self-satisfaction as well as mental growth and understanding. Whitman has a more refreshing take on nature and human involvement with it. His experience with nature seems the most personal and the most moving. He, unlike Thoreau, does not heavily criticize those who are not like him. And unlike Bello, Whitman actually experiences the art he writes about instead of just viewing and appreciating it from afar. Whitman poems are like a breath of fresh air. He is able to enjoy nature on his own terms and in his own way, understanding that each individual has a different encounter with it. I also found his poems to be the most entertaining. It is evident that Whitman was writing way ahead of his time. His views on nature can still be relevant to generations in the future.