if

Question 1

direct address

Answer 1

clear the writer is talking to you also the use of them/ you isolates you from them

Question 2

imperative

Answer 2

emphasises the importance of being modest and humble in both looks and speech through repetition: “don’t look too good, nor talk too wise”| ‘don’t look’,’don’t give’-talking from experience perhaps and telling his child how important it is to keep an equal mind

Question 3

anaphora/repitition

Answer 3

of ‘If you can’ suggests life is full of unpredictable challenges that may be difficult to overcome hence the ‘if’

Question 4

triump and disasters

Answer 4

The speaker emphasises the importance of being rational and balanced by personifying success and failure, as “Triumph” and “Disaster”, described metaphorically as “imposters”
-alliteration of ‘treat those true (imposters)’ emphasises the imposters (harsh sound)
-don’t get carried away

Question 5

informal style

Answer 5

The informal style of these lines gives the poem an intimate quality as lines start with “And” and contractions and elliptical sentences are used

Question 6

masculinity and femininity (structure)

Answer 6

• allow continuation create a balance (It reflects the significance of the speaker’s message)

-written in iambic pentameter but breaks away from iambic pentameter in lines 1 and 3 in each stanza by adding another unstressed syllable at the end (makes the reader want to read more)

-use of both feminine and masculine rhymes also reflects the theme of balance as it reflects the speaker’s desire for the listener to maintain a balance in life

-Lines 1 and 3 in stanza 2 are feminine rhymes: “master” and “Disaster” as they consist of two syllables with the final syllable being unstressed & Lines 2 and 4 are masculine rhymes as they consist of one syllable: “aim” and “same”

Question 7

rhyme scheme

Answer 7

The poem follows the regular rhyme scheme of ABABCDCD

regular rhyme scheme to mirror the advice that the speaker is giving to the listener (practising self-control and composure):

Question 8

Stoicism (patience) and endurance

Answer 8

repeated conditional statement with the conclusion at the end of the poem adds a sense of momentum as the speaker builds to the conclusion
- but also This structural technique effectively reflects the rewards of being stoic and enduring trials to reach the conclusion and finally become “a man”

Question 9

anaphora

Answer 9

create emphasis, rhythm, and a sense of momentum
-creates a strong, almost hypnotic rhythm, drawing the reader further into the poem’s meditation on virtue and resilience.
-The repetition also creates a sonic effect, making the poem more memorable and engaging