Kipling And Lilliam Essay

As Stephen Hawking once said, “However difficult life may seem, there's always something you can do and succeed at”. This pertains to the advice given by Rudyard Kipling and Judge Philip Gilliam. Both Kipling's poem, “If”, and Gilliam's letter give advice about success. While both Kipling and Gilliam give vital advice about respect and perseverance, there are many differences when it comes to their delivery. At our age responsibility is an important factor of maturity. Both Judge Philip Gilliam in his letter and author Rudyard Kipling in his poem “If” have alike yet very different views on this subject. Kipling said “ if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you” ( S1L3 ). Meaning be responsible and do your work when those around you …show more content…
This requires perseverance. Both Kipling and Gilliam give us advice about perseverance in their writing. Their advice is similar but when it comes to their delivery they are very diverse. Kipling says “ If you can make one heap of all your winnings and lose it all on a turn of pitch and toss. And lose and start at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss” ( S3L1-4 ) The first half means, if you can risk it for something worthwhile even if you might lose. What the second half is saying is that if you do lose, you should keep on keepin’ on and not to dwell on your losses. Gilliam says “In other words, grow up stop being a crybaby. Get out of your dreamworld and develop a backbone not a wishbone” (C2). This essentially means to buck up, the time is now. You are a teenager. You don't need your mommy anymore. Although both authors agree that perseverance is key, they have a different approach. Kipling’s approach is a lot quieter, softer in a way. “if you can dream and not make dreams your master, if you can think and not make thoughts your aim” ( S2L1-2 ). Implying that you should dream and work hard but don’t let it consume you. Whereas Gilliam approaches with a more harsh and aggressive tone. “My answer is this, go home, mow the lawn, wash the windows, learn to cook, build a raft, get a job, visit the sick, study your lessons and after you’ve finished, …show more content…
He is very literal and doesn’t beat around the bush. My favorite piece from his letter is “grow up, stop being a crybaby. get out of your dreamworld and develop a backbone not a wishbone” ( C2 ). He’s absolutely correct. We aren’t getting any younger, we have to get up and work for it. This is the real world, we aren’t kids anymore and we have to act like it. Most people think that Gilliam is too brash. He may seem harsh but is still very supportive and has our best interests in mind. “you are important and you are needed. It’s too late to sit around and wait for somebody to do something someday. Someday is now and that somebody is you” ( C2 ). It seems as if he really thinks that we have the potential to do amazing things. We just have to take advantage of our talents. Gilliam relates to me a lot in the sense that I have supportive parents, but they’ve never been the lovey dovey kind of people. If I wanted something I had to work for it. They are very nice but they have high expectations for me. I have the potential to do great things just like Gilliam said, but it isn’t going to be easy. These thing aren’t going to be handed to me on a silver platter.

Kipling is very fatherly in his delivery of heartwarming advice whereas Gilliam shows tough love, helping teens to be the best person they can be. There are many similarities between Kipling and Gilliam, but they are also very diverse.