Writing Task
You have read Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” where he gives the reader advice on how to be a better person. Write an essay explaining how the structure of the poem affects the mood of the audience. Be sure to use specific evidence to support your response.
Student Response
In the poem “If,” Rudyard Kipling gives advice to the reader about how to be a better person in this world. It gives many examples of how to be a better person like don’t hate other people, and don’t deal with lying. The structure of the poem affects the mood of the audience.
The author repeats the words “if you” making the reader feel like they are being talked to as a person and not just reading through a poem. “If” states in stanza two lines one through four, “If you can dream-and not make dreams your master; If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same.” The author is setting up the poem just like he would talk to a regular person. This makes the reader feel like they are just being given advice and nothing else. The conversational tone gives the reader a reassuring mood.
Rudyard Kipling uses advice to help the reader understand how to be a better person. The poem states in stanza four lines one through four, “If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings-nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much.” The author uses this type of style so that he can reach the reader on a different level. It talks about how to stay in touch with people and not let anyone hurt you. Kipling uses this style to hopefully reach the reader better and help them feel like they can become a better person.
The reader’s mood is affected by Kipling’s way of structuring the poem. It gives the reader a feeling of a one-on-one talk where someone is just giving them advice. If the reader pays attention, reads the poem, and uses it in their day-to-day life, they will eventually become a better person. All they have to do is read and the structure helps with it being more of a real-life conversation and not just another boring ole poem.
Writing Details
This is an 8th Grade response from a PorterHasClass 2020 student. Follow me on Twitter for updates on future student examples, articles of the week, and blog posts.
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