Billy Collins

Improved Essays
In a diverse society, some individuals are oblivious to their varying perceptions of reality; they only focus on what fulfills their own needs, whether that be money, cars, or clothes. As Aristotle, one of the greatest Greek philosophers, once said, “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” His words illustrate that satisfaction lies within ourselves. Even more so, it is our responsibility to achieve purpose in life, as Aristotle argues, and that is controlled by our actions, mindset, and how we view our surrounding world. Ultimately, our perception is constantly changing as we long for what makes us feel whole in our efforts to reach the goals we have set for ourselves. However, aside from our desires, two other central factors that affect our perspective …show more content…
On the other hand, Billy Collins’s poem “Today” portrays the speaker’s positive appreciation of spring’s beauty. Collins utilizes a variety of imagery to craft this main idea, and one, in particular, is when the speaker mentions a “day when the cool brick paths and the garden are bursting with peonies” (Collins 6-7). Through the use of positive connotative words like “cool” and “bursting,” the speaker illustrates vivid details of how a beautiful spring day would look like, applying to the reader’s sense of sight and allowing them to grasp the unimaginable opportunities of the endless humanity around them. Essentially, this language creates a tone of happiness and delight, mirroring the idea of how readers should always observe the positive light set vastly in front of them instead of carrying a pessimistic mindset that results in their ignorance of the world’s potential. Nonetheless, the environment individuals surround themselves with drives their negative or positive perceptions upon the canvas of reality, as occasionally, they will blind them from accepting the wonders of the world as it

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