"Mother to Son" Poem Langston Hughes

What is the central theme of “Mother to Son”?

• Education is the most important tool in life.

• Life is full of beauty and luxury.

• Life can be hard, but you must keep going and never give up.

• Success is only for those who are lucky.

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

What is the extended metaphor used in the poem?

• Life is a staircase.

• Life is a race.

• Love is like a flame.

• Time is a river.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which phrase best helps the reader understand the tone of the poem?

• Don’t you set down on the steps

• And reachin’ landings

• Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair

• I’se been a-climbin’ on

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

How does Hughes’s use of dialect affect the poem?

• It makes the poem sound funny.

• It distracts from the meaning.

• It reveals the speaker’s background and makes her voice feel authentic.

• It confuses the reader about the poem’s message.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

How does the structure of the poem support its meaning?

• The rhyme pattern tells a story.

• The long stanzas add humor.

• The stair-like lines reflect the ups and downs of life.

• The repeated chorus builds tension.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

What is the author’s purpose in writing this poem?

• To teach readers about staircases

• To express a mother’s struggles and her encouragement

• To entertain readers with a funny story

• To describe a family’s vacation

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

Which image best shows the difficulty of the mother’s life?

• A. “And turnin’ corners”

• B. “Don’t you fall now”

• C. “And places with no carpet on the floor—Bare”

• D. “I’se still climbin’”

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

Which lines show the speaker’s perseverance?

• A. “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair”

• B. “I’se been a-climbin’ on, and reachin’ landin’s”

• C. “Where there ain’t been no light”

• D. “So boy, don’t you turn back”

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.5

10. What lesson can readers apply from this poem in real life?

• Readers can learn the importance of empathy.

• Readers can understand the value of perseverance.

• Readers can appreciate the beauty of nature.

• Readers can recognize the significance of friendship.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

In "Mother to Son," what does the speaker tell her son NOT to do?

• Go down the stairs

• Ask for help when he needs it

• Give up when something is difficult

• Climb up a crystal staircase

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5