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1. 
   troutmiller Teacher
   High School - 12th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   The first stanza touches on several character traits: self-confidence, courage, patience and honesty.  His words "If you can keep your head," "If you can trust yourself," and "If you can wait and not be tired by waiting" show those traits.

   The second stanza deals with what you may do for the public, yet not have personal reasons or gain behind it.  You can face trouble as easily as you face success, and you can take something that broke--even though you worked so hard for it--you can rebuild it all over again. That shows a hard work ethic.

   The third stanza speaks of taking everything you've worked for and risk it all, and then lose it and have to start again.  The key to that is not telling anyone of your loss.  That shows integrity. That's in the line "And lose, and start again at your beginnings and never breath a word about your loss."  Then it says you must take all you have within you, and when you are at your lowest point, you still have to have the will to try.  This shows perseverance.

   The final stanza speaks of you being able to work with anyone and not change who you are or what you stand for.  This poems says that if you can do all of these things, the world is yours and you can be truly called a Man.  "Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, and-which is more-you'll be a Man my son!"

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/if/plot-summary

   http://www.enotes.com/if/themes

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   Posted by troutmiller on Friday January 16, 2009 at 10:44 AM
   
   

2. 
   aushadi Teacher
   Graduate School

   Rudyard Kipling's If is one of the famous poems under his selection and I, believe it is a Universal truth that he speaks about.

   From the first stanza to last, the poem holds a couraging tone. If a person reads from the beginning to the end he/ she may be awaken with such possitive thoughts. "if you can keep you head"..."if you can trust yourself"...."if you can wait"....all these lines emphasizes that the poet wants to convey the courage, honesty, self esteem, self-confidence that a person should have.

   At the same time he admitts that you also should not be overconfident about yourself, which is a great truth that most of them do not realize in this world.

   This poem is very much effective for the students regardless of age, where you will be encouraged to strike out at your aim.

   Second stanza deals with the goals and aims you should have in your life. Great people like Abraham Lincon has failed so many times in his life in becoming a president...but he never led his life down. This poem ideally suits him. Moreover, there are many other great people as such who, never led thier sleves down by anything.

   "and never breathe...loss", depicts, you should never talk about your losses, since it gives very negative attitude. He further says, that you should upfront the Will you have within you, which will make you a winner one day.

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   Posted by aushadi on Thursday February 26, 2009 at 8:51 PM
   
   

3. 
   vishal234 Student
   High School - 9th Grade

   The first stanza touches on several character traits: self-confidence, courage, patience and honesty.  His words "If you can keep your head," "If you can trust yourself," and "If you can wait and not be tired by waiting" show those traits.If these traits are absent then they would be the great obstacles for the leader.
   These are as follows:-
   - irrationality ("keep your head...")
   - doubt in oneself  ("trust yourself)
   - impatience   ("wait and not be tired by waiting")
   - petty behavior  ("don't deal in lies")
   - immoderation    ("don't look too good...")

   The second stanza deals with what you may do for the public, yet not have personal reasons or gain behind it.  You can face trouble as easily as you face success, and you can take something that broke--even though you worked so hard for it--you can rebuild it all over again. That shows a hard work ethic.Thus from this stanza , the hindrances which have to be overcome are as follows:-
   - being unrealistic  ("not make dreams your master")
   - postponing ("not make thoughts your aim")
   - overreacting  ("meet with triumph and disaster")
   - weakness    (be able to withstand misfortune)

   The third stanza speaks of taking everything you've worked for and risk it all, and then lose it and have to start again.  The key to that is not telling anyone of your loss.  That shows integrity. That's in the line "And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath a word about your loss."  Then it says you must take all you have within you, and when you are at your lowest point, you still have to have the will to try.  This shows perseverance.Therefore this stanza shows following obstacles faced by a leader  to become a man in the aggresive world:
   - worry and fear ("risk...and lose and start again")
   - being self-serving ("never breathe a word" about loss)
   - quitting ("hold on when there is nothing in you)

   The final stanza speaks of you being able to work with anyone and not change who you are or what you stand for.  This poems says that if you can avoid all of these things, the world is yours and you can be truly called a Man.  "Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, and-which is more-you'll be a Man my son!".Thus finally , obstacles which have to be removed for the survival in this pathetic world :
   - pride and arrogance ("keep virtue and common touch")
   - dependency ("If all men count with you, but none too much")
   - wasting time   ("If you can fill the unforgiving minute")
    
   I f he is able to overcome all the above obstacles,the poet is sure, he will be the master of this Earth,and achieve everything in life .Moreover, he will , then, be able to earn the proud privilege of being called "MAN".

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   Posted by vishal234 on Wednesday June 17, 2009 at 5:44 AM