Mother to Son and Speech to the Young

In Mother to Son, the mother tells her son that _____

• his life will be easier than hers.

• she has worked much harder than him

• life will not be easy, but he must press on.

• he must push himself to be a better person.

In Mother to Son, to what does the mother compare her life?

• a torn up floor

• a crystal stair

• falling down

• honey dripping

The speaker in Mother to Son comes alive through the poet’s use of _____

• irony.

• dialect.

• rhyming.

• onomatopoeia.

The overall tone of Mother to Son can be described as _____

• sarcastic.

• whimsical.

• celebratory.

• melancholy.

Gwendolyn Brooks encourages readers to _____

• honor their past.

• live in the moment.

• hope for better days.

• support others.

What does it mean when the speaker says, “Even if you are not ready for day/It cannot always be night.”?

• The world will go on without you.

• It is better to do everything in the day.

• Enjoy the quiet offered during the night.

• Night is her favorite time.

In Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem, people who are the “down-keepers,” “sun-slappers,” “self-soilers,” and “harmony-hushers” do what?

• enjoy life

• fight hard

• act negatively

• work at night

Both poems serve as _____

• a snapshot of the speaker’s life.

• advice to readers to never give up.

• memories of the speaker’s childhood.

• a warning to readers to stay out of trouble.

Both speakers encourage readers to _____

• find better jobs.

• stop and enjoy life.

• respect their elders.

• overcome obstacles.

What is a difference in Mother to Son and Speech to the Young?

• the point of view

• the use of dialect

• the central message

• the intended audience