The Poem
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.
- George Eliot
Summary
The poem "Making Life Worth While" by George Eliot is a short yet profound poem that conveys a powerful message about human interaction and the positive impact we can have on one another. The poet urges us to ensure that every person who comes into contact with us, no matter how brief the encounter, should gain something good from it.
The poet suggests that we should offer others some small gift of the spirit — a little grace, a kindly thought, a new aspiration, a bit of courage during difficult times, a gleam of faith to face life's growing troubles, or a glimpse of hope for a better future. By doing so, we make our own life worthwhile and also secure a surer place in heaven.
The central message is simple yet powerful: even the smallest act of kindness, encouragement, or hope that we give to others enriches both their lives and our own, making life truly meaningful and purposeful.
Themes
- Human Connection: The poem emphasises the importance of every human interaction, no matter how slight. Every contact between two souls is an opportunity to share something meaningful.
- Kindness and Generosity of Spirit: The poet encourages giving others grace, kindly thoughts, and courage. True generosity is not just material but also spiritual and emotional.
- Hope and Optimism: Even in the face of life's difficulties (represented by "darkening sky" and "thickening ills"), the poem urges us to offer glimpses of brighter skies and gleams of faith.
- Purpose of Life: The title itself captures the main theme — making life worthwhile. The poem suggests that the purpose of life lies in positively impacting every soul we encounter.
- Spiritual Reward: The final line, "And heaven a surer heritage," suggests that living a life of kindness and positivity earns us spiritual reward and lasting legacy.
Literary Devices
- Repetition (Anaphora): The word "One" is repeated at the beginning of several lines — "One kindly thought," "One aspiration," "One bit of courage," "One gleam of faith," "One glimpse of brighter skies." This repetition emphasises that even a single small act can make a significant difference.
- Metaphor: "Darkening sky" is a metaphor for life's growing difficulties and hardships. "Thickening ills of life" is a metaphor for increasing troubles and challenges.
- Imagery: The poem uses vivid visual imagery such as "gleam of faith," "glimpse of brighter skies," and "darkening sky" to create contrasting pictures of hope versus despair.
- Contrast: There is a clear contrast between darkness and light — "darkening sky" vs. "brighter skies," "thickening ills" vs. "gleam of faith." This highlights the poem's message of bringing hope into difficult situations.
- Enjambment: Many lines flow into the next without punctuation, creating a continuous, flowing rhythm that mirrors the ongoing nature of human kindness.
- Alliteration: "brighter...brave" and "gleam...glimpse" provide a musical quality to the poem.
Glossary
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Grace | Noun | Elegance, charm; a pleasing quality |
| Aspiration | Noun | A hope or ambition of achieving something; a desire or wish |
| Courage | Noun | Bravery, valour; the ability to face danger or difficulty |
| Gleam | Noun | A faint or brief light; to shine brightly |
| Glimpse | Noun | A momentary or partial view; a quick look |
| Worthwhile | Adjective | Valuable, purposeful; worth the time or effort spent |
| Heritage | Noun | Inheritance; something passed down from previous generations |
| Darkening | Adjective | Becoming dark; growing gloomy or threatening |
| Thickening | Adjective | Becoming denser or more intense; increasing |
| Ills | Noun | Problems, troubles, or misfortunes |
Parallel Reading: Just One
The textbook also includes a supplementary poem titled "Just One" which reinforces the theme of the main poem. It highlights how a single small action — one song, one smile, one step, one voice, one life — can make an enormous difference. The poem concludes with the empowering message: "One life can make a difference, You see, it's up to you!"
Textbook Questions and Answers
- What should we learn from every soul?
We should learn some good from every soul that touches ours — some little grace, a kindly thought, a new aspiration, a bit of courage, a gleam of faith, or a glimpse of brighter skies. - What qualities will help us brave the thickening ills of life?
Courage, faith, and a glimpse of brighter skies (hope and optimism) will help us brave the thickening ills of life. - Why should we make this life worthwhile?
We should make this life worthwhile because it enriches our existence with meaning and purpose, and also because it makes heaven a surer heritage (spiritual reward). - What does the poet assure if we make our life worthwhile?
The poet assures that if we make our life worthwhile by sharing goodness with every soul we meet, heaven will become a surer heritage — meaning we will earn a secure spiritual reward and lasting legacy.