What does it mean to grow up in the poem If?

The theme of this poem is that the speaker wants his son to grow up to be what he thinks of as a man. To the speaker, being a man involves the sorts of virtues that upper class English people of Kipling’s day believed in. These were the values that allowed England to conquer their empire, or so they thought.

What is the message of If by Rudyard Kipling?

The main theme of Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If—’ is Victorian-era stoicism. This theme is present throughout the work along with some important themes such as being human, success, failure, life, strength, and self-control.

What does it mean to be your own person in the poem If?

It’s being able to trust yourself and doing the right thing even while faced with difficult circumstances.

What is the main theme of the poem If?

The overarching theme of the poem If is successful virtuous living based on values pertaining to integrity, rightful behavior, and self-development. The poem speaks to each and every reader on what it means to become a complete man and how he operates through the thick and thins of life.

What is the moral lesson of the poem If?

The lesson is to have balance in one’s life. Perhaps, Kipling’s experiences in India influenced his writing of this poem as there is the prevalent teaching of Buddism here: the quest for the Middle Way in the quest for spiritual enlightenment.

What does the poem If teaches us?

Answer: Kipling emphasizes that it is important to dream and have an imagination, but control of one’s imagination is necessary, as well, for one must be realistic: If you can dream–and not make dreams your master… …things you gave your life .

What kind of poem is If?

Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” is considered a Didactic poem. The Didactic poem comes from the Greek word didaskein (which means “to teach.”). Poems of this type are meant to teach the reader about something very specific (life, love, decisions, etc.).

What is the meaning of If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same?

Triumph signifies victory, success, and achievement. These things bring happiness and joy in our life. We are satisfied with it and have more confidence and faith in ourselves. On the other hand, disaster signifies sadness, adversity, heart- broken, misfortune, and defeat.

What is the meaning of the first stanza in the poem If?

Answer: In the first stanza of the poem, the poet is emphasizing an individual’s ability to rise above the circumstances. Explanation: When he writes, “if you can dream, and not make dreams your master,” in the first stanza, he is saying that do not let circumstances control you just because you have a dream.

What is the main theme in the poem If?

What is the meaning of what if poem?

In this poem, the poet is filled with anxiety about certain things that might happen to him. He refers to these anxious questions as ‘What’ if. The poet wonders what (will happen) if he becomes dumb or if the school closes the swimming pool or if somebody beats him badly or poisons him.

What does triumph and disaster mean?

Explanation: By “triumph,” the poet means moments of success and accomplishment in life, while by “disaster,” he implies the time of failure or loss. It’s human nature to celebrate and jubilate at time of success and victory.

What is the message of the poem If by Rudyard Kipling?

Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If’ is a didactic poem on the virtues of model leadership and typical manhood. The poem celebrates stoicism, fortitude and righteousness as the hallmark of manliness. Through a series of paradoxes, Kipling advises his son John how to lead a successful life.

When did Kipling write if—?

Since Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If—’ was first published in Kipling’s volume of short stories and poems, Rewards and Fairies, in 1910, it has become one of Kipling’s best-known poems, and was even voted the UK’s favourite poem of all time in a poll of 1995. Why is ‘If—’ so highly regarded?

What does Kipling mean by if you can keep your head?

Kipling writes, “If you can keep your head when all about you / Are losing theirs and blaming it on you…” In this first “if” scenario, Kipling reminds the reader of the importance of maintaining a level head even when those around the reader do not have one and are blaming the situation on the reader.

Is it possible to understand Kipling’s poem without literary analysis?

This iconic poem is expressed plainly enough so that close textual analysis is by no means necessary to understand it – but the syntactical and rhetorical rhythms and patterns Kipling sets up are worthy of commentary. But the poem appeals even to those not in the business of literary criticism or analysis.