We and They
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!
Summary of We and They
- Popularity of “We and They”: The poem ‘We and They’ was written by Rudyard Kipling, a popular English poet, writer, explorer and strategist. This descriptive poetry first appeared in Debits and Credits in 1926. The poem debates the differences exist between the colonizers and the colonized community. The poet has effectively portrayed two contrasting cultures in this poem by using the pronouns “we” and “they”. Even though the poem deals with a seemingly straightforward topic, the writer’s philosophical treatment of two distinct cultures has rendered it a polemic.
- “We and They” As a Representative of Two Distinct Identities: Written from a young man’s perspective, the poem accounts for two different lifestyles, identities, cultures, and choices. The poet raises a clear question, underscoring the striking differences between his own identity and the people who inhabit far-off shores. He wonders, despite having significant differences, the other side does not consider him superior. The speaker talks about each group’s eating habits and preferences separately, showing disapproval. As the poem moves, he further highlights that their hunting is strange and different, that they use spears and sticks while they use modern ways to hunt. Also, he mocks the way they dress up, greet their guests in an open area, and treats the wizards. People belonging to the speaker’s community manage to opt for a modern and contrastive lifestyle. The speaker, having presented fascinating reasons, proceeds to assert that individuals who are kind and pleasant only belong to his group, insinuating that the opposing group comprises uncivilized and uncouth entities. However, despite these differences, the speaker argues that we should respect them.
- Major Themes in “We and They”: Superiority versus inferiority, the difference between cultures, and amazement at the exotic culture are the major themes of the poem. The poet highlights two different people, their distinct lifestyles as well as standards of living. He wonders how other cultures exist globally, and everyone seems satisfied with what they have in life. He declares his membership in a prosperous family and his understanding of modern equipment, gadgets, and living. However, the other group is deprived of these facilities, yet they are leading a perfect life. The poem emphasizes the importance of respecting other cultures and peoples.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in We and They
literary devices refer to the specific tools that the writers use in their writings. Rudyard Kipling also inserted some literary devices in this poem to enhance his writing. The analysis of the devices used in this poem is as follows.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /ee/ in “We eat pork and beef” and the sound of /o/ in “As only a sort of They”.
- Anaphora: It refers to the repetition of a word or expression in the first part of some verses. Kipling repeated the words “all” and “and” in the last stanza of the poem to emphasize the point such as,
“All good people agree,
And all good people say,
All nice people, like Us, are We
And every one else is They.”
- Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /f/ in “friends for tea”.
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /r/ in “They like Their friends for tea” and the sound of /n/ in “With cow-horn-handled knives”.
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example,
“Sister and Auntie say
All the people like us are We,
And every one else is They.”
- Irony: Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. The poet has used this device throughout the poem to state the differences between two different communities such as
“And They live over the sea,
While We live over the way.”
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. Rudyard Kipling has used imagery in this poem such as “But if you cross over the sea”, “And, after all that, They look upon We” and “They stick lions with spears”.
- Rhetorical Question: Rhetorical question is a question that is not asked in order to receive an answer; it is just posed to make the point clear. Rudyard Kipling posed a rhetorical question in the first paragraph of the poem to put emphasize on his point such as “But-would you believe it?”
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The title of the poem “We and They” symbolize a stark comparison between two identified groups.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in We and They
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction: The poem shows descriptive diction having metaphors.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the ABABCDCD rhyme scheme in each stanza. This continues until the last stanza.
- Refrain: The poem shows the use of the refrain “They look upon We” used several times in the first four stanzas.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are five stanzas in this poem, with each comprising eight verses.
Quotes to be Used
These lines from “We and They” are suitable to use while discussing how people living in different communities share varied values.
“Father and Mother, and Me,
Sister and Auntie say
All the people like us are We,
And every one else is They.”
