# III: On Mr. Rudyard Kipling and Making the World Small explained — Heretics > Chapter companion for Heretics by G. K. Chesterton. ## What happens Chesterton defends the idea that all subjects are inherently interesting, arguing that the bore is more poetical and godlike than the bored. He critiques Mr. Rudyard Kipling for lacking true patriotism, seeing him as a cosmopolitan who admires discipline and efficiency over love of country. Chesterton contrasts the globetrotter's superficial knowledge with the rooted peasant's deep connection to place, asserting that true belonging makes a place vanish into the universe. ## Themes in this chapter ### Critique of Modern Literature Chesterton critiques Kipling's literary focus on discipline and cosmopolitanism, contrasting it with deeper patriotism and rootedness. ### Humility and Romance The bore's enthusiastic attention to ordinary things is celebrated as poetic and godlike, embodying a humble romance of everyday life. ## Character check-ins ### Mr. Rudyard Kipling Critiqued as a cosmopolitan who lacks patriotism, admires discipline over courage, and knows the world but not England. ### Unknown Narrator Defends bores as poetical and godlike, argues all things are poetical, and critiques Kipling's worldview. ### Byron Mentioned for dividing humanity into bores and bored, with the narrator disagreeing. ### Thor Referenced as the hammer symbol associated with the name Smith. ### Ulysses Used as a figure who knew many lands but still lacked patriotism. ### The Irish Cited as a truly patriotic people, contrasted with Kipling's irritation toward them. ### The Boers Mentioned as a patriotic people hounded by Kipling in South Africa. ## Key lines > There is no such thing on earth as an uninteresting subject; the only thing that can exist is an uninterested person. Every topic is inherently fascinating; the problem lies only in the lack of interest from the observer. _Opening statement establishing the chapter's central argument about the poetry of all things._ > The bore is stronger and more joyous than we are; he is a demigod—nay, he is a god. For it is the gods who do not tire of the iteration of things; to them the nightfall is always new, and the last rose as red as the first. The bore possesses a divine strength and joy, as gods never weary of repetition, finding each sunset and each rose perpetually fresh. _Chesterton elevates the bore to a divine status, emphasizing the poetic quality of persistent attention._ > The great gap in his mind is what may be roughly called the lack of patriotism—that is to say, he lacks altogether the faculty of attaching himself to any cause or community finally and tragically; for all finality must be tragic. Kipling's major flaw is his inability to commit deeply to any nation or cause, because true commitment involves a tragic finality. _Key critique of Kipling's cosmopolitanism, linking patriotism to tragic attachment._ > He knows England as an intelligent English gentleman knows Venice. He has been to England a great many times; he has stopped there for long visits. But he does not belong to it, or to any place; and the proof of it is this, that he thinks of England as a place. Kipling's knowledge of England is like a tourist's knowledge of Venice—frequent visits but no belonging, evidenced by his viewing England as a mere location. _Illustrates the difference between superficial acquaintance and true rootedness._ > The moment we are rooted in a place, the place vanishes. We live like a tree with the whole strength of the universe. When we truly belong to a place, it ceases to be a distinct object and becomes part of our being, like a tree drawing strength from the cosmos. _Contrasts the peasant's deep connection with the globetrotter's detached observation._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/heretics_se/chapters/iii-on-mr-rudyard-kipling-and-making-the-world-small - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/heretics_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/heretics_se/chapters