Personification And Diction

Personification and Diction in “Colors of the Wind”
Forests are known as the planet’s most diverse ecosystems as well as the home to over 30 million species of plants and animals. Caused by land clearing for infrastructure building and timber logging, deforestation is extremely present but often overlooked. Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz’s song “Colors of the Wind” challenges the listener to question whether as occupants of the earth, we look beyond our planet’s physical value. Featured in Disney’s 1995 film Pocahontas, the well-known tune won the Academy Award for “Best Original Song”, as well as the Grammy Award for “Best Song Written for a Movie.” These poignant lyrics which contain vivid mental pictures serve as the foundation for the
song’s powerful message. Personification and diction combine to establish the theme of revering nature and appreciating its worth.

Stephen Schwartz’s use of personification enriches the theme of revering nature.
For instance, Pocahontas’ rebuttal to John Smith “But I know every rock and tree and creature has a life, has a spirit, has a name” (ll.10,11) assigns human conditions to the environment. Pocahontas explains that she sees the earth as a “comprehensive ecology”, as opposed to pure resources. The word “spirit” (l.11) implies that each component in nature has its own character and is an individual entity. Therefore, each time a tree or critter is killed to benefit a person with its resources; the nature we are stealing from is suffering and feeling the pain. Similarly, “You think you own whatever land you land on. The earth is just a dead thing that you claim” (l.9) references the practice of old English hunting in which the slaughter of animals is praised. The adjective “dead” (l.9) suggests that the earth expires after so much bloodshed and destruction. In an extension of the theme, “Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?” suggests that the sounds of nature are a part of its existence. Pocahontas implores Smith to sensitize himself to the beauty of nature’s intricacies, as the mountain’s “noise[s]” are only a part of the life they emanate. The line “The rainstorm and the river are my brothers” (l.25) suggests Pocahontas’ relationship with the water around her, which gives her life by providing for her tribe. The use of the word “brothers” (l.25) connotes a family-type bond that
consists of love and respect for one another. Comparatively, “The heron and the otter are my friends” (l.26) demonstrates the companionship the Native Americans have with the wild animals, in which they can live in harmony. This contradicts the Englishman's hunting customs wherein the decimated are seen as enemies. Both the words “brothers” and “friends” in respect to nature manifests Pocahontas’ belief that humans and animals are no different, as they have both been given the earth as a “gift”. The lyricist’s use of personification contributes to the pertinent concept that each element of the landscape has its own life and “feels” when human beings remove and demolish it. Therefore, we are irreverent and disrespectful when we mistreat the peaceful critters and environment surrounding us.

The lyricist’s use of diction indeed strengthens the the idea of appreciating and respecting nature.
For example, in Pocahontas’ rhetorical and repetitive question to John Smith “How can there be so much that you don’t know you don’t know?” (ll.6) she questions the Englishman’s ignorance towards the environment and its functions. She calls attention to the fact that John Smith not only lacks knowledge of the natural world, but is not even aware he is lacking this knowledge. Because of their single objective in obtaining as much land as possible, they have managed to completely turn a blind eye to how their actions damage nature. Similarly, the repetition in “You think you own whatever land you land on?” (l.8) implies Pocahontas’ frustration and criticism towards the foolishness of the “superiority mindset” most of the settlers seem to have. This mentality has led them to believe the are above nature and therefore have a right to claim and modify it. She exposes the European tendency to take over land and force destruction with no preceding regard to plants, animals, or people. In Pocahontas’ blunt statement “You think the only people who are people are the people who look and think like you” (l.12,13), she goes further to say that the settlers are prejudiced towards to every other being that does not physically resemble or behave like them. Through this statement, she extends the theme by communicating that this discrimination and inability to accept other living beings,
especially the peaceful animals and the surrounding ecology as a whole, is what hinders the settlers from understanding the true value of nature. The repetition in the consequent phrase “But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew” (ll.14,15) critiques the Western culture’s belief in “logic”. Pocahontas suggests that if Smith would “put himself in someone else’s shoes” and change his point of view, he will begin to see the world differently. In the rhetorical and repetitive question “Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?” (ll.19,20,34,37) Schwartz uses wind as a symbol for “ways of knowing”. Wind connotes change and an ability to be “swayed”, as it is invisible but present, and intangible but alive. This natural force refers to open-mindedness as it “carries” the secrets of origins as it can “sway” or influence you to change your beliefs. Finally, Pocahontas strengthens the thematic message in her conclusion “You can own the earth and still all you’ll own is earth until you can paint with all the colors of the wind” (ll.35,36,37) which evokes a lasting sentiment from the reader towards the planet. The play on words in which the second time “earth” (l.36) is mentioned, literally refers to earth as dirt. Thus, owning the earth is meaningless without an appreciation or reverence for it. One can purchase and claim millions of acres of land but lacking an understanding for it or thinking of the earth’s wonders as “monetary values” will leave you with nothing more than dirt.

Ultimately, Schwartz’s use of personification and diction throughout the song reinforces the point that all occupants of the earth should find an appreciation and reverence for nature. Through Pocahontas’ rebuttal to John Smith the idea that nature is not a machine that provides us everlasting resources is made evident. The surrounding environment is merely a gift to mankind and each individual “rock, tree, and creature” has a spirit and was put on the earth for a purpose. Therefore, when society claims land and tears down acres of forests for exorbitant commercial construction, the nature we are stealing from is suffering the pain arising out of society’s inability to understand its own planet. Despite how many acres man could possibly obtain, without an understanding for it, it is merely dirt. The lack of empathy people seem to have toward the earth today has led to recent environmental destruction and extinction of countless species which human beings fail to be mindful of. If people continue on this trajectory, the earth will sooner or later become unable to sustain human beings and their demands. As a consequence, all natural air, clean water, and pure resources will be exhausted.