“Colors of the Wind”A modern Transcendentalist view

“Colors of the Wind”

From the Disney movie PocahontasWritten by Alan Mencken and Stephen

SchwartzWon an Oscar for “Best Original Song”

in 1995Performed by Judy Kuhn (movie) and

Vanessa Williams (radio)Why did I choose it? I love Disney and

the movie!

Song Lyrics

Spirituality “But I know every rock and tree and creature

has a life, has a spirit, has a name.”

Nature “Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest

Come taste the sunsweet berries of the EarthCome roll in all the riches all around youAnd for once, never wonder what they're worth.”

Individuality “You think the only people who are people

are the people who look and think like you, but if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew, you never knew.”

Emerson and Thoreau Quotes

Spirituality - Nature “The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses

are still truly adjusted to each other; who has retained the spirit of infancy even into the era of manhood” (Emerson 191).

Nature - Nature “If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how

would men believe and adore and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown” (Emerson 191)!

Individuality – Civil Disobedience There will never be a really free and enlightened State, until

the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power..” (Thoreau 224).

Themes and Connections

Spirituality – recognizing that all beings have life and are born with goodness and a gift to give the world.

Nature – appreciating the natural world in which we live and admiring its beauty and riches.

Individuality – recognizing each individual as his own being and allowing him or her to express him/herself wholly without reservation.

Significance and Message(s)

Transcendentalist theories are not new, yet remain essential to our American heritage

Accepting ourselves as we are and others as they are will create a better society Bullying

Gender

Race

We must protect our natural world as it is an essential part of our culture and country

The Song…As you listen, try to find other lyrics that relate to Transcendentalist ideals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA8_rI4-Nf0

Final thoughts…

You can own the Earth and stillAll you'll own is Earth until

You can paint with all the colors of the wind