Thursday, April 7, 2011

We and They


by: Rudyard Kipling

Father and Mother, and Me,
Sister and Auntie say
All the people like us are We,
And every one else is They.
And They live over the sea,
While We live over the way,
But-would you believe it? --They look upon We
As only a sort of They!

We eat pork and beef
With cow-horn-handled knives.
They who gobble Their rice off a leaf,
Are horrified out of Their lives;
While they who live up a tree,
And feast on grubs and clay,
(Isn't it scandalous? ) look upon We
As a simply disgusting They!

We shoot birds with a gun.
They stick lions with spears.
Their full-dress is un-.
We dress up to Our ears.
They like Their friends for tea.
We like Our friends to stay;
And, after all that, They look upon We
As an utterly ignorant They!

We eat kitcheny food.
We have doors that latch.
They drink milk or blood,
Under an open thatch.
We have Doctors to fee.
They have Wizards to pay.
And (impudent heathen!) They look upon We
As a quite impossible They!

All good people agree,
And all good people say,
All nice people, like Us, are We
And every one else is They:
But if you cross over the sea,
Instead of over the way,
You may end by (think of it!) looking on We
As only a sort of They!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

This poem written by RudyRudyard
We and They is a controversal poem which identifies the division between cultures, for example, the two different lifestyles led by these two families is highlighted the impression of an Indian trible and a British/American family comes to mind.
The poet talks about how they are looked upon by the other tribe but eventually we discover that the poet is equally as judgemental about the other tribe as they are him.
Many differences are drawn out, these include;
Diet, medical and religion.
The ancient other family are more spiritual than the poet and this also shows that they probably have more faith and don't take advantage of things.

Unknown said...

Hello
After the end of the World War I, western and European area became much more powerful and developed while eastern area stilled occupied by its damages. Therefore, western people especially educated ones started to increase their racial prejudice in order to make their race the super one. According to such circumstances, ''we and they '' was published for the seek of European's superiority.

israa alqaderi said...

thet is right eman i think it has such racist againt the east while through the poem kipling depict the bad habit and culture of the east while is proud of his cultur and exaggerated. the title summarizes the theme of the poem we with a strong voice and they with a low voice.

Unknown said...

I agree with you israa,but Throughout his poem, Kipling speaks to the differences that exist between "we" who "live over the way" and "they" who "live over the sea."