Making Life Worth While (Poem)
Poem: Making Life Worth While
George Eliot
Warm-up
Observe the moral values in the picture and share your experience with the class.
Making Life Worth While
by George Eliot
Every soul that touches yours –
Be it the slightest contact –
Get there from some good;
Some little grace; one kindly thought;
One aspiration yet unfelt;
One bit of courage
For the darkening sky;
One gleam of faith
To brave the thickening ills of life;
One glimpse of brighter skies –
To make this life worthwhile
And heaven a surer heritage.
About the Poet
Mary Ann Evans (1819 – 1880), known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She wrote seven novels.
Glossary
| Word | Meaning |
| grace (n) | elegance, charm |
| aspiration (n) | a hope or ambition of achieving something; desire; wish |
| courage (n) | bravery, valour |
| gleam (n) | shine brightly |
| glimpse (n) | glance, quick look |
| worthwhile (adj) | valuable, purposeful |
| heritage (n) | inheritance |
1. Comprehension Questions
- What should we learn from every soul?
- What qualities will help us brave the thickening ills of life?
- Why should we make this life worthwhile?
- What does the poet assure if we make our life worthwhile?
2. Figure of Speech
Repetition
Repetition is a literary device that repeats the same words or phrases a few times to make an idea clearer and more memorable. It is used to emphasize a feeling or idea, create rhythm, and bring attention to an idea.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
— Robert Frost
Task: Pick out any two lines of repetition from the poem.
Parallel Reading
Just One
One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream,
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul,
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room,
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer,
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true,
One life can make a difference,
You see, it's up to you!