Rudyard Kipling's 'If-' explores themes of manliness, hard work and discipline. The speaker believes that one must have humility, confidence and several other virtues to be a man. Kipling uses literary techniques such as anaphora, juxtaposition, and personification to persuade his son to become a man, thereby giving the poem meaning to readers of all eras who are trying to find their own "manhood." Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The speaker emphasizes the importance of being confident, humble, and balanced throughout the poem, suggesting that everyone can achieve their greatest potential by following the poem's guidelines. The speaker believes that one must “keep [his] head when all around [him]/are losing theirs and putting the blame on [him]” (1-2) while also “taking into account their doubts” ( 4). It is good to have self-confidence, but arrogance should be avoided; one must have strong self-confidence while being open to the possibility that others might be right instead. He thinks that one must be able to "risk everything on a single turn of toss-toss,/And lose, and start again at the beginning,/And never say a word about one's loss" (18-20). You have to be humble and disciplined and not complain when things go wrong to be a real man. He states that one can be a man “if neither enemies nor loving friends can harm you” (27) and “if all men matter to you, but none matter too much” (28). There needs to be a balance between keeping thick skin in all relationships and valuing each other's opinions. If all these things are achieved, then “Yours is the Earth and all that is in it,/And, most importantly, you will be a Man, my son!” » (31-32) The speaker gives the poem's advice. to his son, but also to the readers of the poem, who also learn indirectly that the completion of all these things will give them the world as well as manhood. Kipling emphasizes his argument using the literary techniques of anaphora, juxtaposition, irony, and personification, making it easier for readers to relate to and believe his message. He begins almost every other line with "If you..." and continues with what should be done in each situation. By repeating this structure, the importance of following each rule is emphasized. He then juxtaposes inaction and action when he emphasizes being able to “dream – and not make dreams your master” (9) and “think – and not make thoughts your goal” (10 ). One cannot simply be fascinated by dreams and thoughts to be a man; we must act and not become the slave of complacency. Later, he appreciates being able to “meet triumph and disaster / and treat both impostors alike” (11-12). He calls them both "imposters" because they are both temporary, and he ironically capitalizes the names of the concepts to emphasize that they are apparently important, but should be treated as insignificant. By using these devices, Kipling makes his poem effective, engaging, and compelling to a wider audience. The speaker's emphasis on endurance and restraint matches my value of hard work and perseverance, which creates a strong connection between me and the poem. He maintains the importance of being able to “be lied to, [and not] lie/Or be hated [not give way] to hatred” (6-7). He believes that one must aspire for one's heart and body to "serve in turn long after their departure,/And thus hold on when there is nothing in you/Except the Will.