"Mother to Son" Figurative Language & Analysis

"Mother to Son"

A poem by Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes (1902-1967)

was an American poet, activist, and novelist.

He is also one of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance, which was the cultural, social, and artistic movement of black artists that happened in Harlem between the end of WWI and the mid-1930s.

"Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes

• First, we will listen to a recording of the poem.

• Then, you will read the poem on your own.

• Finally, we'll break it down & you'll answer questions about the poem.

Open Ended

If your friend is having a bad day or is going through tough times, what advice can you give them?

Learning Targets

• I can correctly identify & explain the meaning of the figurative language used throughout the poem.

• I can determine the tone, mood, & theme of a poem.

Open Ended

Initial thoughts / reaction??

Write what came to your mind when you read / listened to this poem. This can be:

-What you picture / imagine

- A person or people this makes you think of

-Another poem or song this reminds you of

-The mood / tone/ vibe expressed

- The figurative language used

...or ANYTHING else that comes to mind!

"Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes

Well, son, I’ll tell you:

Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

It’s had tacks in it,

And splinters, 

Multiple Choice

What is the speaker comparing the stairs to?

• Her childhood

• Her partner

• America

• Her life

Onto the next Stanza!

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor —

Bare.

But all the time

I’se been a-climbin’ on,

Multiple Choice

How has the speaker described her life so far?

• As a fancy, beautiful staircase.

• As flawless, without trials.

• As a difficult, painful climb

• As a strange, spiral staircase

Onto the next Stanza!

And reachin’ landin’s,

And turnin’ corners,

And sometimes goin’ in the dark

Where there ain’t been no light.

So boy, don’t you turn back.

Multiple Choice

Why did the speaker share that it felt like they were "sometimes goin' in the dark"? What feelings does that evoke?

• Frightening and confusing

• Sad and devastating

• Adventurous

• Humbling

Don’t you set down on the steps

‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.

Don’t you fall now —

For I’se still goin’, honey,

I’se still climbin’,

And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

Multiple Choice

How does the speaker end the poem? What does she tell the boy?

• That he will not be able to reach the top without a lot of help.

• That crystal stairs are not hard to climb if he does not turn back.

• That he should keep going up the stairs, because she is still going.

Multiple Choice

In the poem, who is the speaker addressing, and what are they addressing?

• A mother is telling a story to her child about her own childhood.

• A mother is speaking to her son about climbing a crystal staircase.

• A son is retelling a conversation his mother had with him about earning money.

• A mother is warning her son about the difficulties of life and perseverance.

Multiple Choice

What is the THEME (main message /lesson) of the poem?

• Life is filled with joy and sorrow

• Life is full of challanges

• Life is filled with heartaches and hope

• No matter how hard life gets, don't give up!

Figurative Language Review

• Metaphor

• Assonance

• Alliteration

Multiple Choice

What is the central metaphor of the poem?

• The narrator describes a tiring climb up a beat-up staircase, representing life's struggles.

• The narrator describes a beat-up staircase turning into a crystal staircase, representing her overcoming hardship.

• The narrator describes herself going down a spiral staircase, representing her continuous problems.

Multiple Select

Which of the following is an example of assonance?

• Life for me aint been no crystal stair

• And boards torn up

Multiple Select

Which of the following is an example of assonance?

• But all the time / I'se been a- climbin' on

• 'Cause you finds it's kinder hard

Multiple Select

Which of the following is an example of alliteration?

• And sometimes goin' in the dark / Where there ain't been no light

• So boy, don't you turn back/ Don't you set down on the steps

Open Ended

Final Reflection: Share your thoughts about this poem.

Do you agree with the mother's advice?

Can you apply this mindset to Amanda Gorman's poem "The Hill We Climb"? How so?

OR

Can you apply this mindset to your own life? How so?