If- Flashcards
(15 cards)
Themes in If-
-m… and m…
-s… r…
-o… c…
-a…
-p… and c…
-manhood and maturity
-self reliance
-overcoming challenges
-advice
-parent and child
“And - which is more - you’ll be a Man, my son!”
“Man”
-⭐️capitalisation⭐️
—> suggesting it is more than a biological milestone
—>it represents maturity, strength and virtue
“Which is more”
-⭐️parenthetical phrase⭐️
—>interrupts the rhythm
—>implying it is the ultimate reward
“my son!”
-⭐️exclamatory phrase ⭐️
—>proud
—>heartfelt proclamation
-⭐️possessive pronoun⭐️
-underscored deep affection
-ends with a warm and affectionate tone
Comparisons with if-
-do not go gentle: a…
-remember: a…
-prayer before birth: c… w…
-search for my tongue: i…
-poem at 39: p… r…
-piano: p… r…
-hide and seek: c… o… l…
-do not go gentle: advice
-remember: advice
-prayer before birth: cruel world
-search for my tongue: identity
-poem at 39: parent relationships
-piano: parent relationships
-hide and seek: challenges of life
Rhyme scheme of If-
Iambic pentameter
What does each stanza in If- represent
A new set if virtues and qualities one must possess
Tone of If
-m…
-i…
-r…
—>gives the poem a … quality
-motivational
-instructive
-reflective
—>gives the poem a didactic quality
“don’t look too good, nor talk too wise”
-⭐️verb phrase⭐️
—> reinforce that you should not show off
“talk too wise”
-⭐️alliteration⭐️
—>emphasis to the warning
“If you can talk with the crowds and keep your virtue”
“If you”
-⭐️conditional imperatives⭐️
—>fits into the poems series of conditional phrases
“Crowds” “virtue”
-⭐️antithesis⭐️
—>you should engage publicly without compromising privacy
“If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same”
“Triumph and Disaster”
-⭐️capitalisation⭐️
-⭐️metaphor⭐️
—>the abstract nouns are personified
—>elevating them to mythical forces
-⭐️juxtaposition⭐️
—>positive extreme and negative extreme
—>reinforces the poems message of emotional equilibrium
—>both are equally misleading
“Imposter”
-suggests they both distract you
-neither failure nor success defines your true worth
“Trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too”
“Trust yourself”
-⭐️imperative verb⭐️
—>maintain self belief
—>if you can’t trust yourself then you can’t have faith in yourself
“All men doubt you”
-⭐️hyperbole⭐️
—>heightens the sense of isolation and self-dependency
“Trust yourself” “allowance for their doubting”
-⭐️juxtaposition⭐️
—>contrast between them highlights that you should have confidence, but it must be balanced with humility
-about listening, learning and improving yourself
“Make allowance”
-gentle and reasonable tone
-suggests not reacting harshly but rather understanding
“And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss”
“Pitch-and-toss”
-⭐️metaphor⭐️
—> for chance, gambling or taking risks
—>represents life’s uncertainties, and how fortune can quickly change based on one decision
-⭐️symbolism⭐️
—>implies gambling with everything you own, your dreams, achievements etc
—>reflects the idea of being able to let go of material possessions or past wins without letting them control you emotionally
“Turn” “toss”
-⭐️alliteration⭐️
—>rhythmic, casual tone
—>reinforcing the idea of remaining calm while taking risks
“Risks”
-promotes self belief
-being able to trust your decisions and not dwell on them
“If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools”
“Bears
-suggests deep emotional endurance
-about withstanding the injustice without fighting back
-evokes frustration and a sense of betrayal
-highlighting that you will face this in life and there is nothing you can do about
-implying that you should have confidence in what you have said and not let it be manipulated by others
“Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools”
-⭐️metaphor⭐️
—>implies your honest words have been distorted by deceitful people to manipulate others
-shows how good intentions can be weaponised or misinterpreted
“Or being hated, don’t give way to hating”
“Hated” “hating”
-⭐️polyptoton⭐️
—>presents two opposing emotional responses
—>emphasises rising above and choosing the right, more difficult path
“Don’t give way”
-suggest not giving in to hate even when provoked
-suggesting maturity and self-discipline
“Or watch the things you have your life to, broken”
“You”
-⭐️pronoun⭐️
—> intimate
—>directly challenges the readers commitments
“Things you gave your life to”
-indefinite “things” leaves open the possibility for career, family, reputation or ideals
“Broken”
-deliberate pause
-sudden
“And never breathe a word about your loss”
“Breathe a word”
-⭐️metaphor for speech⭐️
—>seem natural to share your failures
-denying breath evokes the idea of suffocating one’s own voice
“Never”
-⭐️negative imperatuve⭐️
