Scouting for Identity: Interpreting Bridget Sprouts Hayden Everett Hunt 12th Grade

Life, in essence, is a search for belonging, purpose, and meaning. However, humans often do not possess enough wisdom to determine what is of worthy pursuit in life. While double-digit years of life experience may appear a period of time long enough to justify taking a certain path, nature has existed and provided for organisms for an incomprehensible amount of time. Although humans are inherently gifted with incredible cognitive and emotional capabilities, we are also born with many of the same flaws and temptations. Therefore, Bridget Sprouls calls for a stronger reliance on nature and spontaneity in her poem “Scout.” Through the contrasting metaphors of modern and historic lifestyles, a reflective tone, and disjointed form, Sprouls recounts an individual's search for identity, suggesting that nature should be the primary guide of life.

Sprouls utilizes symbolism to juxtapose the conflicting lifestyles of modern reliance on material goods with historic dependence upon nature. “Old Austin” is an adage of nostalgia often used by longtime residents to express displeasure at the rapidly changing culture. The speaker respects and looks up to an individual enough to spontaneously adventure to this place of Austin that the man so...