English lit - If

Structure of poem + tone

- Dramatic monologue - lecture-like

- 4 stanzas of eight lines

- Lots of anaphora of If - suggests that life is full of consequences and hypotheticals and conditionals and that sort of thing

- Iambic Pentameter

- AAAABCBC (first stanza rhyme scheme)

- ABABCDCD (rhyme scheme of other stanzas

- Tone : advisory / didactic / optimistic / emphatic

General themes of poem

- Stoicism

- Parent/child relationship

- Advice/guidance

- Virtuous living

- Balance

- Patience

- Persistence

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; [stanza one]

- You - 2nd person - father to son? Persona to reader? Even if this were written to his son, the advice given is universal and applicable to everyone

- Synecdoche - keep your head - keep your composure, you should be level headed and calm in stressful situations

- In addition, you should be self assured, but not arrogant and open to other people's ideas, suggestions, and critiques

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. [stanza one]

- Repitition of don't - imperatives - emphatic/didactic tone

- Riddle-like and paradoxical in a way - do not succumb to such a low, scummy level, yet don't act like you're above everyone - middle ground

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 imposters just the same; [stanza two]

- The dashes add pause and a balance or emphasis to his points. You should be aspirational, but not completely delusional to the point where you are unrealistic.

- Triumph and Disaster - personification - both capitalised, of great importance

- Two imposters - despite their importance, Kipling suggests both are short lived and not good enough, so you should not let extreme success or failure distract you from reality and stay grounded

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: [stanza two]

- People will lie all the time, so don't let the lies of knaves (dishonest men) anger you, because you will know in the end you are the truthful one.

- You gave your life to - hyperbole

- Build 'em up with worn-out tools - metaphor - even if something goes awfully, do not give up and start again with whatever you have

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; [stanza three]

- Imagery - take risks!!!

- Repitition of And - persistence, stoicism - even if you lose everything, try again! People never need to know about your failures; without them you would never get anywhere.

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!' [stanza three]

- Syndetic listing = persistence, resilience

- Repitition of hold on + personification of the Will (importance, capitalised) = significance of strength

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; [stanza four]

- Contrasting ideas/opposites - balance

- View everyone as equal, rise above everyone but do not have a superiority complex

- Have the support of others, but be hashtag independent too

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! [stanza four]

- Yours is the Earth - hyperbole, emphasises great opportunity if he is to follow the advice

- Parentheses - adds emphasis on the most important reward of all - being a Man. Also adds certainty (modal verb you will), more definite in contrast to the conditional 'if'

What is 'If' about

It is a paean from a father, directed to his son giving advice on how to live a good, balanced life. Happiness in life is not about being the best, but having a life full of rectitude and balance. Kipling often reflects on the key British values of stoicism.

What themes does 'If' have

Identity, growing up, masculinity, power, perseverance, British stoicism, happiness, effect of people on your life, the process of maturity, family, wisdom, development, trials of life

Explain the form and structure of 'If', and the effect of this

-four regular 8 lined stanzas (4 octets) with clear pattern and structure

-strict iambic pentameter

-rhyme scheme ABABCDCD

-rigid structure reflects Kipling's theme of balance and control

-repeated 'If' shows a conditional tense, this shows someone has control over how they live their life

Which poems could be compared with 'If'

-prayer before birth - growing up, family, negative influences, process of maturity

analyse - 'If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you'

-you must not give in when people question you

-the emotive juxtaposition of 'trust' and 'doubt' reinforces the hardships which come with life, while also conveying the need for balance

-hyperbolic, absolute lang of 'all men' puts emphasis on the magnitude of pressure faced in life

analyse opening line - 'If you can keep your head when all about you / are losing theirs and blaming it on you'

-metaphor 'keep your head' highlights his point of staying level headed and to always retain perspective

-assonance and absolute lang of 'all about' mimics a sound of panic through the pressure felt from other people

analyse - 'If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same'

-the turning of the juxtaposing words 'Triumph' and 'Disaster' into proper nouns portrays the idea that you will meet both in life both carry equal importance to creating strength.

-these emotive words express the idea that although they are separate entities, both must be dealt with wisely

-alliteration of 'treat those two' emphasises the fact neither quality should be privileged above each other due to constant 't' sound

-quote explores balance, hardships, advice

analyse - 'don't deal in lies'

-alliterative monosyllabic imperative of 'don't deal' creates harsh cacophonous effect to create more impact on the instruction

analyse - 'Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it'

-hyperbolic metaphor conveys the idea that the individual has complete control over their life

-turning 'Earth' into a proper noun emphasises the greatness that the individual can achieve

-alliteration of 'earth' and 'everything' creates hopeful and expansive feel

analyse - 'you'll be a Man, my son!'

-proper noun of 'Man' emphasises the idea that once you have achieved a balanced life, you have filled your potential of being a man

-Man has stereotypical connotations of strength so suggests you cannot be a strong person until you do this

-finishing words 'my son!' shows an intimate conversation, creating a natural conclusion

analyse - 'If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew'

-tricolon, polysyndeton implies you must throw yourself into things with your whole body - full commitment

analyse - 'so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

-absolute lang of 'nothing' shows extent of loss people can get into

-personification and proper noun of 'Will' shows the strength that can be found when you try

-direct speech, imperative, and exclamation which addresses the reader stresses the importance of perseverance

What is the poem about?

a father's advice to his son on how to be a great British man

How is the poem presented?

second person

direct address

use of anaphora

What tone is used in the poem?

didactic, tries to educate his son, and the reader to recognise and aspire to becoming a gentleman

What imagery is used in the poem?

sporting comparisons, triumph and disaster are personified

what sounds and literary devices give sense of importance?

perpetual enjambment creates pace, urgency and dynamism, created for reader to feel something important is said

What structure is used and what effect does it create

one long sentence, lines flowing to the next, 4 stanzas, 8 lines, ababcdcd rhyme which gives poem pace and direction and empasises certain words

what form is used in the poem?

dramatic monologue

context of author

born in India, addressed to Kipling's son who died in WW1. inspired by politicians of what it's like to be a British man

Title "If"

a conditional used to describe facts and consequences, therefore the poem is a list of statements which hold back the consequences until final line creating drama and anticipation

"If you can"

anaphora repeated at start of most lines as it produces a question which forces the reader to feel if they can live up to the challenge

"keep your head"

metaphor and synecdoche for staying calm, real men don't lose control and panic

"losing theirs and blaming it on you"

gives a picture of an able man who does not fluster and takes responsibility for mistakes

"if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you"

captures idea of self belief and a 'real' man sticks with own judgement

"yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise"

model of masculinity doesn't show off to impress and don't complain or be arrogant

"if you can dream..." "if you can think"

ambition is important to be a man, however a real man doesn't lose control so can't allow ambition to drive him

"not make thoughts your aim"

actions are more important, practical masculinity

"meet with triumph and disaster"

a real man deals with failure and success, greet them in the same way

"treat those two imposters"

deceiving as success and failure aren't what you think you are but your ability to deal with them is what matters

"twisted by knaves"

implies a dishonest or unscrupulous person

"build 'em with worn out tools"

metaphor comparing success to destruction, again practical maculinity

"risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss"

gambling metaphor, game of luck which a man will be prepared for

"never breathe a word about your loss"

shows stoicism and proportion

"you can force your heart and nerve and sinew"

polysyndetic listing and polysyndeton shows the son or listener must hold onto everything as dangerous situations means you need the use every detail and aspect of you to make you a man

"except the Will which say to them: "hold on!"

personification and dialogue telling us we must persist when others give up

"talk with crowds and keep your virtue" "nor lose common touch"

relationships with others shouldn't be influential, a great man can speak with kings and be normal, and yet other people too and not be arrogant

"foes nor loving friends can hurt you"

idea of emotionally cutting off so others cant hurt you

"If you can fill the unforgiving minute/ with sixty seconds' worth of distance run"

enjambment shows life is short and only brief and you must seize life

"yours is the earth and everything in it"

imperialistic imagery shows if you can do everything mentioned, you can own the world and lead to success

"And - "

conjunction and dashes used to make a consequence seem more important than the cause

"you'll be a Man"

mastering the world is less important than being all these things, capital letters for this crucial concept

"my son!"

personal realization of who he is speaking to, he is sure his son will be a man (if he can do these things)

Alternate rhyme (form)

symbolic of balance + the message of poem is importance of being measured

Second person addresses 'you'

father speaking to son/ poem speaking to reader - universality of message

Same length stanzas (structure)

symbolic of balance

listing/anaphora of 'if'

becomes like empowering mantra + the person has to put the work in.

lots of end stopped lines

making sure message of each line is retained

contrasting ideas - 'if you can talk with crowds...walk with kings.' 'Neither foes nor loving friends.'

balance

tone

Didactic (intended to teach), advisory,optimistic, emphatic

Iambic pentameter

well balanced/controlled

Single Sentance Sustained

everything you need to do

Syndetic listing + polysyndeton - 'heart and nerve and sinew'

persistance + effort

Personification of 'Triumph and Disaster' and 'imposters'

makes them seem important/ big obstacles and 'imposters' suggests both are short-lived

Hyperbole of 'yours is the earth.'

emphasises great opportunities that come of being balanced

Personification of 'the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

- importance of strength and perseverence. Like outside driving force making him continue.

metaphor of 'build em up with worn out tools.'

emphasises human potential + importance of determination and resilience.

imperatives and repetition of 'don't'

emphatic

lexical choice of 'deal'

don't be shady/underhand

conditional of If

only get stuff if you do stuff