"If-" by Rudyard Kipling explores themes of manhood, hard work, and discipline. The speaker believes that to be a man one must have humility, confidence and many other virtues. Kipling uses literary techniques including anaphora, juxtaposition, and personification to persuade his son to become a man, giving the poem meaning for readers of all ages who are trying to find their own sense of "manliness." Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The speaker emphasizes the importance of being confident, humble, and balanced throughout the poem, suggesting that one can realize one's greatest potential by following the poem's guidelines. The speaker believes that one should “keep [his] head when everyone around [him] / Is losing theirs and blaming [him]” (1-2) while also taking “account for their doubts” (4). It is good to have self-confidence, but arrogance should be avoided; you need to have strong self-confidence while being open to the possibility that others may instead be corrected. According to him, one should be able to “risk it all at once,/And lose, and start over,/And never say a word about the loss” (18-20). . You have to be humble and disciplined from complaining when things go wrong to be a real man. He states that one can be a man “If neither enemies nor loving friends can hurt you” (27) and “If all men matter to you, but none too much” (28). There must be a balance between maintaining thick skin in all relationships and valuing the opinions of all people. If all these things are achieved, then “Yours is the Earth and all in it, / And, what is most, 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 indirectly learn that the completion of all these things will give them the world as well as humanity. Kipling highlights his argument using the literary techniques of anaphora, juxtaposition, irony, and personification, making readers more easily identify with and believe his message. Start almost every other line with “If you…” and continue with what should be done in each situation. By repeating this structure, the importance of following each rule is emphasized. He then juxtaposes inaction with action when he emphasizes the ability to “dream and not make dreams your master” (9) and “think and not make thoughts your aim” (10). One cannot simply be fascinated by dreams and thoughts to be a man; we must act and not become slaves to complacency. He later relishes the chance to "meet Triumph and Disaster / And treat these two impostors alike" (11-12). He calls them both “impostors” because they are both temporary, and ironically capitalizes the names of the concepts to highlight that they are apparently important, but should be treated as insignificant. By using these devices, Kipling makes his poetry effective, engaging, and persuasive to a wider audience. The speaker's emphasis on endurance and self-control parallels my value of hard work and perseverance, resulting in a strong connection between me and the poem. He argues for the importance of being able to “[be] lied to, [and not] lie/or be hated [not give] way to hatred” (6-7). According to him, one should aspire to ensure that one's heart and body "serve in their place long after they are gone, / And so endure when there is nothing in you / Except the Will that says them: "Hold on!" (22-24) ) These lines are specifically aimed at those who have a strong work ethic,.