Wednesday 27 February 2008

If

If—
by Rudyard Kipling (‘Brother Square-Toes’—Rewards and Fairies)
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

T-When I first think of "if" there is some kind of feeling that it may happen.
And assuming something that you maybe can or can't.

P-This poem is dealing with some relationship or self control. Although someone blame on you, When you control of yourself that is the true meaning of becoming a man for the youth( in Rudyard Kipling's perspective)

C-Repetition- If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
symbol: "if" in this poem everything is about "if". There can be infinite number of translation, but in my opinion, it's about being a man.
hyperbole: "if you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; " society and community wants man to be perfect. But this high expectation is not right.
imagery: "If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken" this is one of hearing. When I first read this sentence I thought that can I hear the truth or do I ignore.

A- I think author's tone is little biased and sexist. He is saying that there is only one way to become a man. But he is saying that we need to find willingness and confidence. Also there are more high expectation for man than women. I think he is from a background that women are
considered unimportant.

S- If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too;
this is like if every don't think you can't do it, but after you have showed them you can do it do not be bragging about that, but rather be confident in yourself.

T-after reading this poem I think "if" means the patiance and dealing with harships. Also in big sense it is to become a good patient man.

T-The theme of this poem is Leadership, egotism, and being a man. This poem means to be a dignified man. This poem relates to our life because most of people do not like being picked on or blame. But when people doubt on you, it is important to be confident in yourself and willing.

No comments: