Commentary on "If"

   I read a very nice, interesting poem. It felt as though Kipling was speaking to someone, rather than it being just a poem with rhymes and a heartfelt message. While it sent a message, the delivery was a bit like a lecture. The elements of the poem "If" were so secular-sounding and the speech was so modern; I never would have guessed that the poem was written over a century ago. At first, I really thought a slam poet wrote this. The rhythm at which I read it seemed so hexagonal --I don't know-- and topsy-turvy, making it so hard to believe that "If" was written such a long time ago. I find it real interesting how each stanza presents a different issue: the first stanza with chaos around, the second stanza with maintaining patience and dignity, the third on self-control, and the fourth promoting balance in every situation. The thing which tickled my fancy was the allusion in line 24 of "If": "Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'" It reminded me of the Holy Spirit, the One who sends jolts to my spirit to lead me where I go, much like the depiction in this poem! This poem encouraged me to think of how I would raise my children. I felt challenged to figure out how I would approach these kinds of issues and how to cope with them. The nice thing about "If" is how correct it is-- the message sent was respectable; nothing disturbed or offended the right things to do. In this day and age, millions are forgetting how to, in this case, be a good man-- or person in general. It seems as though back then, parents raised their children in ways that would make them successful and smart. Nowadays, parents are isolated from their children, and kids learn all by themselves and make their own decisions that aren't always smart. "If" has a great message for today's society, but the pity is that the message is put into less action than it ever has been. Apparently, nobody cares that their children are faced with self-doubt, and that they have no support system. Nobody takes into consideration that their children have goals for themselves, but they know no limits and give their hopes up only to fail and have no faith to get back up and try to achieve those dreams again. Nobody encourages perseverance for their kids; there is no concern for dignity. Nobody factors in that they have a son to raise, and that he is at risk of becoming a slouch due to lack of exhortation. This generation needs more of "If", because of all the value it has to give, especially is a day and age that struggles with want over morality. The thing about "If" which made it so inspiring was its truth throughout a whole century, and longer. After reading the poem, I saw influence for many people. If I saw the influence, others saw it, too!

Commentary for "Ain't I a Woman"

   The way Sojourner Truth wrote her poem made so much sense. In the time she was in, she struggled so much with rights alone. She hardly even existed as a black person, let alone a black woman. Because of who she was, she never experienced the life she deserved. All she did was work hard and hard, with no breaks. Giving birth to children, seeing them go, working in fields like crazy for hardly anything at all, and serving white people who gave no clue what it felt like to be treated as an animal. Sojourner Truth persevered as a black woman, because she had hope even in the midst of her troubles. She believed in God even when He seemed distant. She had faith in the fact that she would have peace one way or another. Although life brought her down time and time again, through every high and low, up and down, pro or con, good or bad, Sojourner Truth held true to the fact that she was a woman, and that she could do all things through Christ who gave her the strength to "turn the world right side up". She made inroads in society; she made a name for herself. Sojourner Truth stood as a beacon of light and hope for all African Americans during that time, and even today. She proved that black woman were not the worst, and that they were just as inspirational as anyone else. Sojourner Truth never let anyone look down on her, even while she was a slave. She had so much confidence, despite the surrounding struggles. During her time in purgatory, when all said "no", God in her said, "Yes!" She could care less that some white man told her to get down-- as far as Sojourner Truth was concerned, she was not ashamed, for the Lord was on her side through every thick and thin, whatever the weather, no matter what. Sojourner Truth carried all the fruits of the spirit every day, just by looking at the lines of the poem. Without them, she would not have been able to take all the horrid things of her life. Sojourner Truth worked very hard for the dreams she wanted, inside her bounds and out. She wanted to work for her kids' well being. She wanted to work for the good that was in her future. But above all, she wanted to work for all the Lord did for her. Sojourner was grateful for her life, because as merciless and dark as circumstances were for her, she was dedicated not to give up to the pressuring tease that she was a useless black woman. She was determined to defeat the lie which set her, and many other women, back many miles. Sojourner Truth ran back all her miles not just to finish the race this time, but to win it. She did not want to hear she could not do it, because in her heart, mind, soul and spirit, she could do whatever the heck she wanted to do.

TP-CASTT for "Ain't I a Woman" by Sojourner Truth and "If" by Rudyard Kipling

TP-CASTT~~ Ain't I a Woman

T-- Title~~ A woman talking about her gender

P-- Paraphrase~~ Sojourner Truth is fed up with all the misery in her everyday life; the racism, slavery and sexism irritate her so. She talks about all the hard work she did, and all that happened to her during that time-- working in fields, being mistreated by white people and having 13 kids, seeing most of them go into slavery. She remembers men telling her what she could or couldn't do, and all she had to say to those words were that she was a woman, and she could fix trouble if she wanted to.

C-- Connotation~~ Throughout the whole poem, Truth sounds very upset and passionate.

A-- Assonance~~ Line 6 contains "mud puddles".

S-- Shifts~~ Lines 5-7 sounded sad compared to the rest of the lines. i.e. "Nobody ever helped me into carriages..." in line 5.

T-- Title (in-depth)~~ "Ain't I a Woman" means Sojourner Truth, as a woman, has seen and done many things most think women are incapable of doing.

T-- Theme~~ "If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down, all alone, together women can ought to be able to turn it right side up again."

TP-CASTT~~ If

T-- Title~~ "If" sounds like a wistful thought.
P-- Paraphrase~~ "If" is a whole poem about a man lecturing his son about what it means to be a real man. It takes patience and dignity from all the world to be a man. It takes self control not to let things get the best of him to be a man. It takes perseverance to finish what he starts to be a man. It takes balance to be a man, too.
C-- Connotation~~ "If" sounds very serious and stern for the most part.
A-- Assonance~~ In line 8, there is "look too good...".
S-- Shifts~~ The last stanza of the poem is rather happy and hopeful. i.e. "And-- which is more-- you'll be a Man, my son!" in line 32.
T-- Title (in-depth)~~ "If" is about the capability of being a man.
T-- Theme~~ Manhood starts with balance.