IF - poem

General themes

- giving advice

- becoming an adult

- learning lessons

Poems to compare to

Giving advice: do not go gentle

Becoming an adult: piano, poem at 39, hide and seek, half past two

Leaning lessons: poem at 39, hide and seek, half past two

Language technique - "Lied...Lies" + "hated...hating"

Polyptoton: is the repetitions of words derived from the same root, this builds a rhythm in the poem and emphasises the argument

Language technique - "Meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same"

Personification: Making these seem like people gives an impression they can control and be controlled with deliberate effects on a persons life. "Meet" has connotations for the first and perhaps last time

Language technique - "-which is more-"

Embedded clause: shows importance of man being father

Language technique - “you’ll be a Man, my son!”

Proper noun: presenting "Man" as proper noun gives impression of a singular

Juxtaposition: juxtaposition of "Man" as independent and "my son" gives impression of change and reinforces idea of growing up

Language technique - "Keep your head...losing theirs"

Juxtaposition: sets person out as different from others

Language technique - "Trust yourself when all men doubt you"

Juxtaposition: sets him as different and gives advice

Structure technique - "If" x13

Repatition: Reinforces impression that this is advice, large amounts of "If" gives impression of a low chance of success. The conditional imply that a reward will be gain

Structural + Language technique: "can" x11

Repetition and model verb: suggests ability is to be gained and actions must be taken —> you take opportunities and are not given them