Jack and Jill Went Up A Hill

Peasant Life - You Work Hard and Then You Die

In this illustration of the rhyme the most noticeable variation is in the age of the characters, who appear to be of middle to old age, not the young children we normally see illustrated for this rhyme. They are lugging what appears to be a very heavy bucket between them. In contrast to many other depictions, we do not see the typical tumbling down the hill but the laborious carrying of the full bucket. These characters seem to be from the laboring, peasant class, with clothing that is neat and tidy but very utilitarian. Earth tones are primarily used, such as muted browns and grays. Even the red skirt of middle-aged Jill is a kind of brick red. These colors give the illustration a kind of somber feeling, and work with the expressions of exertion on the faces of the figures, to present a picture of daily life that is very hard. The illustration here seems to convey that hard work is a necessary part of life, and taken with the text, portrays a very bleak existence for the peasant class. Life is hard, and death follows.