If Group

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rishabh15
Student
High School - 9th Grade

What is the theme of the poem "If"?

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Posted by rishabh15 on Wednesday August 26, 2009 at 9:41 AM and tagged with if, theme.

Answers:

  1. janiscates
    janiscates Teacher
    Community / Jr. College

    eNotes Editor

    Live life to the fullest, discounting the efforts of the world to bring you down.  People may defame, circumstances may discourage, but each individual must keeping trying their best to make the most of their life.  In other words, don't sit on the sidelines of life; when you get the chance, dance!  Then, and only, then, you will be a real man or woman.

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    Posted by janiscates on Wednesday August 26, 2009 at 10:49 AM


  2. grammargator Teacher
    Middle School

    eNotes Editor

    Rudyard Kipling wrote this poem in answer to a question from his son about when the son would be a man. We find in the poem many examples of what Aristotle called the Golden Mean, which is moderation between extremes.

    Aristotle considered that any virtue becomes a vice if carried too far. Courage, for example, allows us to face adversity, even danger, with confidence. Too much courage, however, could be foolhardy, leading one to take unwise and unnecessary risks. Kipling's advice to his son is to find the balance--the Golden Mean.

    For example, he writes:

    "If you can walk with crowds, yet keep your virtue,

    Walk with kings, nor lose the common touch.

    If neither foes not loving friends can hurt you,

    If all men count with you, but none too much."

    And when you have found that balance, you are a man.

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

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    Posted by grammargator on Wednesday August 26, 2009 at 3:51 PM