mother to son poem thesis

Mother to Son Summary & Analysis by Langston Hughes

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

“Mother to Son” is a poem by Langston Hughes. It was first published in 1922 in The Crisis , a magazine dedicated to promoting civil rights in the United States, and was later collected in Hughes’s first book The Weary Blues (1926). The poem describes the difficulties that Black people face in a racist society, alluding to the many obstacles and dangers that racism throws in their way—obstacles and dangers that white people don’t have to face. At the same time, the poem argues that Black people can overcome these difficulties through persistence, resilience, and mutual support.

• Read the full text of “Mother to Son”

The Full Text of “Mother to Son”

1 Well, son, I’ll tell you:

2 Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

3 It’s had tacks in it,

4 And splinters,

5 And boards torn up,

6 And places with no carpet on the floor—

8 But all the time

9 I’se been a-climbin’ on,

10 And reachin’ landin’s,

11 And turnin’ corners,

12 And sometimes goin’ in the dark

13 Where there ain’t been no light.

14 So boy, don’t you turn back.

15 Don’t you set down on the steps

16 ’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.

17 Don’t you fall now—

18 For I’se still goin’, honey,

19 I’se still climbin’,

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

“Mother to Son” Summary

“mother to son” themes.

Racism and Perseverance

• See where this theme is active in the poem.

Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “Mother to Son”

Well, son, I’ll tell you: Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

It’s had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor— Bare.

But all the time I’se been a-climbin’ on, And reachin’ landin’s, And turnin’ corners, And sometimes goin’ in the dark Where there ain’t been no light.

Lines 14-16

So boy, don’t you turn back. Don’t you set down on the steps ’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.

Lines 17-20

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.

“Mother to Son” Symbols

• Crystal Stair
• See where this symbol appears in the poem.

“Mother to Son” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

End-stopped line.

• See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

Alliteration

Extended metaphor, polysyndeton, “mother to son” vocabulary.

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• A-Climbin'
• Landin's
• See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Mother to Son”

Rhyme scheme, “mother to son” speaker, “mother to son” setting, literary and historical context of “mother to son”, more “mother to son” resources, external resources.

Into to the Harlem Renaissance — A detailed history of the Harlem Renaissance—with links to other Harlem Renaissance writers and texts—from the Poetry Foundation.

The Weary Blues — An article from the Academy of American Poets on The Weary Blues, Langston Hughes's first book of poems, which collected "Mother to Son."

Langston Hughes's Life Story — A detailed biography of the from the Poetry Foundation.

Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance — An article on Langston Hughes's influence on the Harlem Renaissance.

The Poem Read Aloud — The actress Viola Davis and the poet Langston Hughes both recite "Mother to Son."

LitCharts on Other Poems by Langston Hughes

As I Grew Older

Aunt Sue's Stories

Daybreak in Alabama

Dream Variations

I Look at the World

Let America Be America Again

Night Funeral in Harlem

The Ballad of the Landlord

Theme for English B

The Negro Speaks of Rivers

The Weary Blues

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• Mother to Son

Read below our complete notes on the song “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes. Our notes cover Mother to Son summary, themes, and analysis.

Introduction

‘Mother to Son’ is a song composed by an African American poet and journalist Langston Hughes. It is a well-known dramatic monologue. It was printed in a magazine called The Crisis for the first time in the year 1922. It was later included in Hughes’ book titled The Weary Blues published in 1926.

Langston Hughes played a key role in the Harlem Renaissance. It was a 1920 artistic movement in Harlem, near Manhattan. The neighborhood of Harlem swamped with migrated African Americans who opted to settle there for work and jobs. Consequently, many writers, poets and intellectuals related to black culture evolved. They wanted to introduce a unique kind of literature that can highlight the ups and downs of African Americans. They also saw literature as a source of combat against racism.

The Harlem Renaissance is considered as the most significant art movement in black literature in the US.  Hughes poems “Mother to Son, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “I, Too,” have been considered as crucial in the progress of literary tradition of the black.

‘Mother to Son’ is closely related to the hardships faced by the African Americans in the early twentieth century. During this era, racism and discrimination against the black community were rampant in the USA. Separate school, living areas and working places were allocated for the black people. They were not allowed near the white community members. NAACP was a civil rights organization that evolved for the defence of the black community basic rights.  Hughes was also a huge advocate of black rights.

His poem ‘Mother to Son’ indicates many hindrances and risks that African Americans face in their daily lives due to racism. The poem suggests that the black community can beat such difficult times through perseverance, spirit, and unity.

Mother to Son by Langston Hughes Summary

The poem is a conversation amid a mother and son. The mother initiates the conversation saying that her life has not been easy. She has faced various hurdles and difficulties in her life. She describes the various impediments in her life as tacks, splinters and torn boards. She says that the stair, which she is trying to climb, is not carpeted which implies that her life path had not been a luxurious journey.  Nevertheless, her perseverance enables her to keep on struggling in life. Even when she is unable to see in the dark, she is still resilient. At the end of the poem, the mother commands her son never to lose hope. She instructs him to keep on climbing the stairs and never think about going down in life. She reminds him that he must always think about the hardships faced by his mother and keep on fighting against his exhaustion.  

Themes in Mother to Son

Racism appears as a major theme in the poem. The dialect of the speaker indicates that she belongs to an illiterate African American community. The staircase is a realistic depiction of a black woman in a racist society. The screws, pieces, naked floorings, and shady passages indicate extreme poverty. Through such images, Hughes manages to highlight the injustice and discrimination towards the black race in American society.

The poverty of the mother does not indicate that she is indolent. The reader can see the determination and strong morals of the woman. However, her poor circumstances indicate that she is provided with very limited opportunities because of her race.   

Perseverance and courage

The poem is a piece of advice from a mother to her son. She advised him to endure and show persistence in order to survive in the American racist society. The comparison of the two staircases in the poem indicates the widely different circumstances of the two races. The pathways of the white people are like a crystal stair that indicates ease and comfort.  While the black people have to overcome dark elements and dangerous situations in order to survive. However, the mother says that with courage and determination, the less privileged class can achieve their goals.

The mother shows a very realistic picture of the African Americans. The speaker encourages her son to never lose hope and fall into depression. She says that their life will always be difficult as compared to other races. She does not give false hope to her son. She warns her son about various dangers and challenges. She shares her life story with her son in order to reassure him that he will be able to succeed with keen determination and courage.

Despair and hope

The theme of despair and hope is enforced in the poem through the symbols of “dark” and “light”. The mother in the poem admits that some stages of her life had pushed her into darkness. She had no hope in her life. Her difficult circumstances had managed to put her in depression and despair. However, she continued to struggle and eventually overcame that phase of her life.

Mother as a role model for the child

The poem shows the strong bond between a mother and a son. The mother uses her own life experiences in order to pave a better path for her child. She presents her life as a role model for her son so that he can grow up as a better human. She does not want to sugarcoat the harsh world and make her son weak. Therefore, she narrates the harsh situations and anecdotes from her own life, as she wants her son to reach his goals through strong determination and courage.

Mother to Son Poem Analysis

In line two of the poem, the poet says that the life of the mother ‘aint’t been a   “crystal stair”. “ain’t” is a colloquial form of language and its use by the mother indicates that she is uneducated.  The phrase “crystal stair” in line two of the poem implies the privilege and influence enjoyed by the white community. Crystals are charming, fashionable, and stunning. Thus, it suggests that the life journey of the white community is easy and without certain hurdles.  Due to their superior status in society, they have more prospects to achieve their respective dreams. However, people belonging to the black community are not provided with any chances to fulfill their dreams.

The life of black people is very hard and complicated and they have to struggle a lot in order to fight for their goals. The words “ Tacks”, “splinters”, “boards torn up” symbolize hardships in life. Tacks represent nails, while splinters are tiny pieces of planks that could physically harm the person who steps on them. Boards torn up might signify uneven grounds. The word “Bare” indicates limited gears. The mother says that her path had been uneven, hard and bare. She had to make her way in life with inadequate furnishings.

In spite of all the hardships mentioned above, the mother says that she did not lose motivation to move forward in life. She wants to instil the same inspiration and enthusiasm in her son. She says that “All the time” her life had been a constant struggle. However, she still had been “a-climbin’ on” the figurative staircases in her life.

She uses the word landings to describe the various stages of her life. The mother tended to turn corners without any fear of the unknown. She was not afraid to venture in the dark. She wants her son to be brave like her. She had always faced bad situations with a strong front. The run-down stairs illustrate the harsh living circumstances of the black community under the oppressive rule of the White Americans.

This poem depicts racism and its effect on the life of African Americans. Nevertheless, this poem suggests a universal message. The poem conveys a message of resilience and perseverance in the face of difficulties that can be applied to people of all ages and epochs.  

Lines 14-20

In the final line of the poem, the mother again speaks with her son directly. The word “boy” indicates that the mother wants the undivided attention of her son. She states that he should never lose hope and motivation to move forward in life. Even if circumstances turn ugly and he faces adverse conditions, he must never think about backing down. She advised him never to move a step back. His fear and hesitation can aggravate his problems. He must learn to endure and persist in uncertain circumstances.

The mother warns him that the steps are full of splinters and broken boards; therefore, he must learn to tread carefully so that he does not fall. ‘Fall’ here literally means plummeting down the steps. However, it can also be related to the Biblical “Fall”. In the context of the poem, it might imply subsiding criminal activities. The mother does not want her son to resort to unfair means in order to survive. The last three lines reiterate that his mother has always withstood her hard circumstances and she is “still climbin’”. This shows her indomitable strength.

Setting of the poem

The poem lacks a specific setting. The speaker is conversing with her son. The formal tone of the conversation indicates that the place where they are talking is comfortable and familiar to them. 

Point of view

The mother in the poem is anonymous; however, it seems that she represents the hardworking African American women of America. The poem is not just a piece of advice from a mother to her son. It embodies a story of determination and courage. It reflects the endless struggle of the black community in a racist white society. The poem contains a universal message of hope and resilience which can be applied to all the communities of the world.  The language, diction and the literary techniques employed by Hughes ensnare the attention of the reader.

The poem is a dramatic monologue written in dialect of the African American community. The language and diction of the poem is colloquial. The language choice of the poet depicts the linguistic habits of the African Americans. The poet uses figurative language to emphasize his ideas. 

  Structural Analysis of the poem

The style of the poem is free verse and lyrical. It is written in a single stanza of twenty lines. As the structure of the poem is in free verse, therefore, there is no regular rhyming scheme. However, there are certain illustrations of rhyme in the poem as the word “stair” in the second line corresponds to “bare” in the 7th line. The metrical pattern of the poem is irregular, yet the line “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” indicates trochaic meter.

The language used in the poem is idiomatic. The colloquial quality of the language used can be observed in the line “Cause you find it’s kinder hard.” The language style indicates that the speaker of the poem is not much educated and belongs to a rural area.

Literary Devices used in the Poem

Alliteration.

Alliteration can be defined as the reiteration of consonant sounds in closed placed words. The use of alliteration can be discerned in the line, “Don’t you set down on the steps.” The “d” and “s” sounds in the above-mentioned line show alliteration.   Langston Hughes does not heavily rely on rhyme or alliteration in his poem. It seems that the poet purposely evades such poetic devices which create a pleasant effect in order to reinforce the harsh circumstances of the speaker.

 Anaphora is the reiteration of a term or phrases mostly at the start of consecutive expressions, or clauses. For instance, the poet has used  “And” at the start of lines 4,5, 6 and lines 10,11,12. “And “is repeatedly used at the start of these lines in order to highlight the adversities and various challenges in the life of the mother. The repetition of “And” highlights the never-ending sufferings of the mothers. Each “and” in the poem introduces a new impediment in the mother’s life. Similarly the line, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair” is twice repeated to accentuate the rough life journey of the mother.

Hughes utilizes anaphora in order to show the son what he should not do in life. For example in the lines, 14 and 15 “don’t” is twice used. This exemplifies that in case of adversities, we must never lose hope and fall back. The poet employs Anaphora in his poem to show the readers that although life is full of obstacles and challenges, however, we must always fight through and never think about giving up our dreams.

Enjambment can be defined as the continuity of an utterance minus any pause at the end of a line or stanza. Enjambment is used in the following lines in the poem,

“Don’t you set down on the steps

’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.”

Line 15 continues into the next line without any pauses. It expresses the emotions of the mother. It emphasizes the message of the mother, who wants her child to face all hard obstacles with undue determination. 

An allusion is a literary device used by poets. It indirectly refers to a person, place or thing outside the confines of the text. The phrase “crystal stair” alludes to Jacob’s step ladder as mentioned in the Holy Bible. The staircase can be considered as a spiritual allusion.  Jacob witnessed a staircase, which led to heaven in the Biblical story. Similarly, the crystal stair refers to the idea of abandoning worldly troubles. The allusion used in the poem can also refer to the notion that after overcoming hardships, people can reach heaven.

End-Stopped Line

End-stopped lines recur in the poem. Most of the lines are end-stopped. Enjambments are rarely used by the poet in the poem. End-stops play a major role. They help the poet in describing the seriousness of the hurdles encountered by the black woman. For example, each line from 3-6 defines a serious hurdle that the mother had witnessed in her life. The jagged nails and splinters and the missing steps are mentioned in a different end-stopped line. The reader pauses at each end-stop and contemplates about the nature of the difficulty faced by the narrator. All of these End-stops stress complexity and brutality of the speaker’s situation.

The end-stops in lines 17-19 indicates the principle, self-confidence, and spirit of the mother. The end-stops in these lines emphasize the determination of the speaker. These lines highlight the strength of the woman and leave no room for self-doubt. The meaning of end-stops changes in the poem. Initially, they were utilized to highlight the various dangers in the speaker’s life; however, the lines in the end of the poem indicate resilience in the face of adversities.

The recurrence of vowel sounds in the same sentence is termed as assonance. The sound of /o/ in the line “So boy, don’t you turn back” indicates assonance. It indicates the optimistic and courageous nature of the mother.

The recurrence of consonant sounds within the same sentence is named as consonance. The sound /t/ and /r/ in the line “Where there ain’t been no light” indicates consonance. Similarly, ‘And reachin’ landin’s’ also contains consonance.

Imagery is another poetic device that conjures images for the readers so that they can perceive them with their five senses. For instance in the line, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair”, the image of a crystal stair has been created in the reader’s mind. So that the reader can feel the difference between the life of people belonging to the white community and that of the black community. “And places with no carpet on the floor” creates a picture of harsh circumstances faced by the narrator in the poem.

Stressed and unstressed syllables (Trochee)

A trochee is a metrical foot in the line of a poem that involves a stressed syllable closely trailed by an unstressed syllable. In the poem, this pattern of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable lingers continuously. For example in the line, “ Life for me ain’t been no cry stal”.

Refrain is a part or verse of a song or a poem which is repeated after some interval within the poem. Hughes uses refrain in his poem. For instance the line, “life for me ain’t been no crystal stair” reappears twice in the poem with exactly the same expressions. Therefore, it can be said that this line is a refrain. 

Symbolism is the use of specific symbols to denote concepts and perceptions. The literal meaning of the word is different from the figurative meaning. The symbols used in the poem are described below:

The staircase is an extended metaphor utilized by the poet to narrate the hurdles in the life of a black woman. It represents the destitution of the mother. The metaphorical staircase of the mother has nails, shards, holes, and bare steps. It denotes the various challenges in the mother’s life.

Crystal Stair

The poet uses the “crystal stair” which appears in lines 2 and 20 as a symbol. It signifies opportunity, authority, and the benefits relished by the white community. The poet compares the life of the black woman with a dark, rickety and battered staircase. While the “crystal stair” denotes the smooth pathway of the white people. It signifies that white people have their life adorned with glamor and ease while the black mother’s path has always been dangerous and dingy.  It can be stated that “crystal stair” refers to the hypocrisy and double standards of American society.

The poet employs darkness as a symbol of bleakness and desolation. The word darkness is used in the 12 th line of the poem. Here the narrator talks about the nature of her journey. She says that some paths of her life have been dark. It symbolizes the nature of the challenges faced by the mother in the poem. At times, such dangerous situations had demoralized the mother and she had almost lost hope. However, with strong determination, she pushed herself out of that depressive phase of life and continued fighting against all odds in her life.

Light symbolizes hope in the poem. In line 13, the narrator says that sometimes she had “ no light.” It means that she had lost the will and hope of survival. The symbol “light” coincides with “dark” to express the same meaning, which entails that at some point in her life, the mother had experienced despair and desperation. The mother is therefore aware of the emotional and psychological challenges in the life of the black community. However, she emphasizes that with perseverance, they can overcome such complications.

Langton Hughes has utilized literary devices such as metaphor, imagery, anaphora, and symbolism to emphasize his message. The use of such devices connects the poet with the readers. The various poetic devices used in the poem strongly showcase the struggle of the mother and her sacrifices in her life. The reader connects with the character of the mother and admires her perseverance, endurance and resilience in the face of all adversities.

More From Langston Hughes

• The Weary Blues

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, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor— Bare. But all the time I’se been a-climbin’ on, 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. 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.

Meanings of Mother to Son

In his dramatic monologue “Mother to Son,” Langston Hughes shows a mother teaching her son how to succeed in life full of racism. She advises him that she has faced tough obstacles in her life. The main ideas of the poem are the obstacles that racism poses and the ways to cope with such a life to achieve success.

Meanings of Lines 1-7

Well, son, I’ll tell you: Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. It’s had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor— Bare.

Langston Hughes presents a speaker who is a mother of a teenager. She is addressing her son saying in an exclamatory tone as if she has already talked to him. She says that life has been difficult for him with tacks (nails) and splinters as it has not been a crystal stair on which she could have glided upward. Rather it was full of tacks and splinters. The stairs she climbed were also with torn-up boards and bare places where there were no carpets. The mother belongs to African American community and has had a hard and tough life. That is what she is conveying to her son. Like the stairs, life presented him with rough and tough challenges, and it was not an easy ride. This stanza presents the partial theme of the main idea of racism and its obstacles.

Meanings of Lines 8-14

But all the time I’se been a-climbin’ on, 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.

The speaker, the mother, continues with her monologue in a suggestive mood that her son is present and that he is listening to her attentively. She tells him that despite the difficulties that life presented in her way, she continued climbing, facing landings, corners, darkness , and spaces without light. Through her own grit and perseverance, she tells him to continue and not turn back. Her implicit message is not to turn back and lose in life. Rather, he should continue climbing, and wherein lies his success. This stanza contributes to the main idea of winning through challenges which lie in continuing with perseverance.

Meanings of Lines 15-20

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.

The Mother moves forward with her pieces of advice, asking her son not to sit down when he finds the steps difficult for moving ahead. She states that he should also avoid falling down as she is still going on and is on the way to climbing. That is why her own life has been hard and tough and not easy like crystal stair. Her advice to her son is that he should continue struggling to move ahead no matter what comes on his way. The stanza completes the main stanza of the suffering during racism and the will to struggle to win.  

Summary of Mother to Son

• Popularity of “Mother to Son”: Langston Hughes , a famous American poet and columnist, wrote the poem “Mother to Son” as a famous dramatic monologue. It was first published in the magazine Crisis in 1922. The poem is about a mother giving advice to her son about the challenges of life. It also illustrates how sometimes life becomes too heavy, but a person should never give up.
• “Mother to Son” As a Representative of Reality”: The poem comprises the thoughts of a mother whose life is surrounded by misery. However, she knows that the best means of combating these situations are her abilities to be strong. While talking about her experiences of life, she says that life has never been a “crystal stair” for her. It has gaps, splinters, and places without carpet. Despite these obstacles, she has managed to move ahead. She encourages her son to follow her to push through life. To her, optimism and the ability to overcome adversity are the only ways to surmount obstacles in life. What enchants the readers is the undaunted struggle of a mother during her tough time of life.
• Major Themes in “Mother to Son”: Hardships, hope, and courage are some of the major themes of the poem. The poem explores the dignity and determination of a person when facing problems. The speaker compares her life to a ragged staircase and conjures up the idea that one should not give up. She says that life is full of tests, challenges, and confusion, and a person should confront them with courage and determination. Throughout the poem, she instructs her son to continue his struggle with patience, resilience, and hope, giving her own life’s example.

Analysis of Literary Devices in “Mother to Son”

literary devices are tools that enable writers to present their ideas, emotions, and feelings with the use of these devices. Langston has also employed some literary devices in this poem to show the courage and optimism of a mother. The analysis of some of the literary devices used in this poem is given below.

• Assonance : Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /o/ in “So boy, don’t you turn back”.
• Consonance : Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /t/ and /r/ in “Where there ain’t been no light”.
• Imagery : Imagery is used to make readers perceive things with their five senses. For example, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair”, “And places with no carpet on the floor” and “Don’t you set down on the steps.”
• Allusions: Allusion is a belief and an indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of a historical, cultural, political or literary significance. He used this device in the opening line of the poem, such as “Crystal Stair” which refers to Jacob’s stair from the Old Testament in The Bible.
• Metaphor : It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects different in nature. Langston used an extended metaphor to compare the mother’s life to a staircase throughout the poem.
• Symbolism : Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings different from literal meanings. Similarly, “Staircase” symbolizes hardships. It also symbolizes the life that we spend.
• Enjambment : Enjambment refers to the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet or stanza, such as,

“Don’t you set down on the steps ’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.”

A careful glimpse at this literary analysis shows that Langston has skillfully employed these devices to express the sentiments of a mother and the reality of life.

Analysis of Poetic Devices in “Mother to Son”

  Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.

• Free Verse : Free Verse is a type of poetry that does not contain any specific patterns of rhyme or meter . “Mother to Son” is a free verse poem that does not follow any rhyme scheme or stanza pattern.
• Stressed and Unstressed Syllables : These two types of syllables are used in trochee such as the first is stressed and second is unstressed syllable in “Mother to Son” and this pattern continues throughout the poem such as, “ Life for me ain’t been no cry stal ”
• Repetition : There is a repetition of the line “life for me ain’t been no crystal stair” which has created a musical quality in the poem. It has also created rhetorical impacts in the poem.
• Refrain : The lines that are repeated again at some distance in the poems are called a refrain . The line, “life for me ain’t been no crystal stair” is repeated with the same words; it has become a refrain on account of its repetition.

  Quotes to be Used

The lines stated below can be used when motivating children to rise again after failure and face the challenges of life confidently.

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Langston Hughes: Poems

By langston hughes, langston hughes: poems summary and analysis of "mother to son" and "dreams", "mother to son".

The mother says to her son that life has not been a “crystal stair” – it has had tacks and splinters and torn boards on it, as well as places without carpet. The stair is bare. However, she still climbs on, reaching landings, turning corners, and persevering in the dark when there is no light. She commands him, “So boy, don’t you turn back.” She instructs him not to go back down the stairs even if he thinks climbing is hard. He should try not to fall because his mother is still going, still climbing, and her life “ain’t been no crystal stair.”

The speaker advises the reader to hold onto dreams, because if dreams die, life will be like a bird with damaged wings that cannot fly. When dreams go away, life is “barren field” covered with frozen snow.

These two poems are not as widely anthologized, but are thematically similar in the way Hughes expresses the disparity between the American Dream and the reality of life for African Americans during the early 20th Century.

Hughes wrote "Mother to Son" when he was 21 years old. He structures the poem as a conversation between a mother and her son. It is free verse and written in the vernacular, meaning that it mimics the patterns of speech and diction of conversation. The mother begins by telling her son how hard her life has been – it has not been a "crystal stair." Hughes then develops the metaphor of a staircase further, as the mother describes the challenges in her life using symbols like tacks, splinters, uncarpeted floor, and dark, unlit corners. She exhorts her son not to turn back, because she never will.

By using the metaphor of the staircase, Hughes alludes to Jacob's Ladder. The Mother character is on a difficult and arduous uphill journey, hoping that if she endures her struggles she can eventually ascend to the highest "Promised Land." Biblical imagery was quite common in autobiographical accounts of slavery and racial injustice during the early 20th Century. The Mother tries to help her son maintain his faith as well, which will help him persevere through life's struggles. The mother's voice in "Mother to Son" is similar to the voice of the poet in "Dreams," who offers advice and hope for any of his readers who might be losing faith.

"Dreams" is an extremely short poem written in free verse. It is two stanzas long, and the content dictates the form. Hughes instructs his readers to hold on tightly to their dreams because without them, life is a "broken-winged bird / That cannot fly." The hobbled and downtrodden bird is a physical symbol of the discrimination and struggles that African Americans faced during Hughes's time. Dreams, however, have no physical limitations. Dreams are important for maintaining faith as they provide comfort, solace, and hope in a brutal world.

In this way, "Dreams" shares thematic content with "Harlem (A Dream Deferred)" because the latter poem also demonstrates the importance of dreams and aspirations. However, "Harlem" is a bit more cynical in its assertion that if dreams are never realized then they might manifest themselves in a literal or psychological explosion. In "Dreams," though, Hughes implies that even if one's dreams do not come true, a life without hope is barren and sad.

Langston Hughes: Poems Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Langston Hughes: Poems is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Because “I, Too, Sing America” is written in free verse, Hughes is able to vary his structure to suit his purpose. Which of the following BEST describes how Hughes uses structure to reinforce his theme in this section of the poem?

1) D. Alliteration

2) C. When company comes.

Mother to Son

Is there any more information you are giving other than a crystal.

What does Konah mean by I'm in the deep blue, Nineveh would do!?

Is this related to Langston Hughes?

Study Guide for Langston Hughes: Poems

Langston Hughes: Poems study guide contains a biography of Langston Hughes, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis of select poems.

• About Langston Hughes: Poems
• Langston Hughes: Poems Summary
• "Harlem" Video
• Character List

Essays for Langston Hughes: Poems

Langston Hughes: Poems essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of poetry by Langston Hughes.

• Langston Hughes and the Double Consciousness
• The Black Modern
• Intimacy Through Point of View in "On the Road"
• A Look at Point-of-View and Reader Placement in “I, too” and “Douglass”
• Langston Hughes’s “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain”

Lesson Plan for Langston Hughes: Poems

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Langston Hughes: Poems
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Langston Hughes: Poems Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Langston Hughes: Poems

• Introduction
• Political views

Analysis of Mother to Son by Langston Hughes

Background: Langston Hughes is an African American poet who is also well known for his work in fiction, plays, essays and biographies. This poem was written in the early 20th century when the African Americans faced some serious oppression and racism issues. The poem is a conversation between a mother and a son. It is a monologue by the mother where she tells her son that life has never been easy for her. She says she has faced a lot of troubles in the journey of her life but continues to move ahead. Despite all the challenges that came her way, she never turned away and chose not to give up. The mother tells her son that life will not always be a smooth ride but in spite of all the hardships and miseries, one must learn to move forward. She encourages her son to face life’s challenges head-on and tries to inculcate strength and courage in him.

Structure: The poem is a monologue by a mother. It has been written in free verse and has no rhymes or rhythmic pattern. The poet uses imagery as he refers to the journey of life as climbing a staircase and says that it has never been a beautiful crystal stair. It is indicative of the kind of poor and miserable lives the African Americans had in the early 20th century. The poet has also used metaphor. He uses symbols like tacks, splinters, no carpet on the floor and darkness to describe the difficulties that one faces in life. The staircase is also a metaphor for the struggles people face in their upward journey of life. The upward journey refers to the journey to heaven or to a better place where one is free of all the pain and suffering.

Analysis: " Well, son, I’ll tell you: Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. " The poem opens with the mother speaking to her son or like she is answering a question that he might have asked. She explains to the son that life has never been easy for her. Here ‘crystal stair’ symbolizes smoothness or beauty. The mother says her life has not been a smooth ride.

" It’s had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor— Bare. " The words and phrases used in this stanza, like ‘tacks’, ‘splinters’, ‘boards torn up’ and ‘no carpet on the floor’ represent the difficulties and struggles that one has to face in life. Tacks are nails and splinters are small, sharp pieces that have broken off from wood or glass and can cause difficulty or hindrance for one’s movement. The mother says she has faced a lot of troubles in her life as one may face these troubles when climbing up a staircase. This stanza also indicates the kind of poor houses and miserable lives the African American had in the early 20th century. ‘Bare’ may also refer to the poor living conditions and lack of necessities.

" But all the time I’se been a-climbin’ on, And reachin’ landin’s, And turnin’ corners, And sometimes goin’ in the dark Where there ain’t been no light. " In this stanza the mother tells her son that despite all the difficulties, she has been climbing up the metaphorical staircase of life. Here ‘turnin’ corners’ and ‘going in the dark’ represents the fear and doubts that one has during times of uncertainty. There will be moments of indecisiveness and confusion but one must continue to move forward and not give up hope.

" So, boy, don’t you turn back. Don’t you set down on the steps. ‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard. " The mother urges her son not to turn back and continue facing the challenges in life. She tells him not to be disappointed when he faces difficulties and not to settle down with it. He must rather face them and keep pushing forward. The mother tells him that the adversities that come his way should not dampen his spirit and he must continue to strive for a better life.

" 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. " The mother tells her son that despite all the difficulties he faces in life he should not feel disappointed or lose hope. Falling off the staircase may also indicate being misled. The mother advises her son to not be misled and choose the wrong path during difficulties. The mother sets her own example by saying that she is still walking on that path and climbing that metaphorical staircase of life. She has not given up and continues to strive for a better life, free of all suffering and miseries. Here, the second line of the poem has been repeated where the mother says that life has not been a smooth and easy journey for her.

Summary: The poem is a monologue by a mother where she is speaking to her son. The mother tells her son that life has never been easy or free of difficulties. It has never been a smooth ride. She compares the journey of life to the upward climb on a staircase and says it has not been smooth like crystal. She talks about the various difficulties that one has to face in life like the broken parts and uncarpeted floors that make climbing a staircase difficult. Despite all the challenges the mother kept moving forward and also faced times of confusion and uncertainty. She tells the boy to do the same and have the courage to move forward without ever turning back. The mother also tells her son to not be misled or lose hope. She inspires her son by saying that she has always strived for a better life and even he must continue to do so.

Theme: The poem has been written in the early 20th century when the African Americans were under oppression and racial injustice. In the poem, the mother teaches her son about strength and courage. She tells him that one must possess the courage to move forward in life in spite of all the difficulties that might come his way. So, the main theme of the poem is that of perseverance. The poet passes the message that one must persevere to make his life better and not be discouraged by the adversities that one may have to face.

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Mother to Son

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Well, son, I’ll tell you:  Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. It’s had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor— Bare; But all the time I’se been a’climbin’ on, 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; Don’t you sit 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.

This poem is in the public domain. 

More by this poet

The weary blues.

Droning a drowsy syncopated tune, Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon,      I heard a Negro play. Down on Lenox Avenue the other night By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light      He did a lazy sway . . .      He did a lazy sway . . . To the tune o’ those Weary Blues.

Theme for English B

The instructor said,

     Go home and write      a page tonight.      And let that page come out of you—      Then, it will be true.

The Negro Speaks of Rivers

I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the      flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

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Mother To Son Thesis Statement

In Mother to Son, Langston Hughes discusses the struggles that African American men have faced in the United States throughout history. In this poem, Hughes casts his mother as a symbol of darker races fighting against adversity. Mother to Son was written in 1922 while Hughes was still a student at Columbia University and was first published in The Crisis magazine, a NAACP publication. Mother to Son is a message of encouragement and optimism to African American youth.

Though Mother to Son was published prior to the Harlem Renaissance, it successfully contributes to the same movement by enforcing its messages: pride in one’s skin and heritage and the fight against oppression. Mother To Son similarly extols themes contained within “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”, celebrating the richness that black culture brings as well as venerating black history. Mother To Son also makes reference to two songs from spirituals sung during slavery, We’re Marching On and Steal Away.

In Mother To Son, Hughes uses many literary devices to send his message of hope for brighter future for African Americans. The most important device Hughes uses in Mother To Son is personification. Mother To Son is a poem written in first person, and Mother is portrayed as being a real person. Mother’s strong presence comes from the fact that she has a voice of her own, with thoughts and feelings of her own separate from those of Hughes.

Mother to Son was written as if Hughes were speaking directly to his mother, but Mother is given life beyond what any mother could be expected to accomplish; Mother becomes an entity who defies both time and physicality. Mother can even be seen as invincible; rather than dying like most parents do, Mother lives on forever: “Forever and forever / I’ll say it again. ” Another literary device used in Mother To Son is hyperbole. It would be impossible for anyone’s mother to have lived “forever”. Mother would have died eventually, which is why having Mother live forever becomes a symbol of Mother’s strength.

Hughes uses hyperbole to show Mother’s indomitable spirit and Mother’s willingness to do anything for her son, even if it means the possibility of death. The third literary device used in Mother To Son is symbolism. Throughout Mother To Son, Mother becomes more than just an ordinary human being because she takes on the qualities that could be expected from a mother. Mother is nurturing toward her son not only physically but also mentally; she supplies him with all he needs for his education.

Mother’s wisdom guides Hughes toward manhood while his father remains absent throughout this poem. While other African American men are portrayed as having to overcome much adversity to reach manhood, Mother offers her son the opportunity for success. Mother is also a black woman who provides hope and unity in Mother To Son. Mother’s presence in Mother To Son lets African American mothers know that they are not alone in their fight against oppression. Mother to Son demonstrates African Americans’ unified efforts toward racial equality during the Harlem Renaissance era.

The mother then advises her child to work hard and not become a victim of circumstance by continuing, “You’s old enough to climb. Motherhood is a struggle that doesn’t always have happy ending, but the Mother in this poem had children so she would have someone to take care of her when she grew older. Motherhood can be defined as a woman giving birth to a child. Motherhood is a position which involves taking care of one or more children at home or through out their life cycle stages while being aided by the father working outside the home full-time.

And parents value what they do for their kids more than material things so they’ll try anything within their means for their kid/s to have a bright and secure future. Mother to Son’s key words embedded in the poem are: Mother, Motherhood, Life, Stairs, Climb and so on. The Mother felt that she hasn’t been treated fairly all her life because of her race and gender by stating “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. ” The mother goes on to say that it’s been hard for her climb every step of the way as a result of their color and sex, but she had children so she would have someone to take care of her when she became older.

Motherhood is a position which involves taking care of one or more children at home or throughout their life cycle stages while being aided by the father working outside the home full-time. Motherhood can also be defined as a woman giving birth to a child. Motherhood is a struggle that doesn’t always have happy ending because the Mother in Mother to Son had children so she would have someone to take care of her when she grew older. The Mother wanted her son not only to understand life, but also succeed in it for himself by climbing every step just like she did.

“Mother to Son” By Langston Hughes Mother to son Talkin bout, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. ” In the poem, Mother to Son by Langston Hughes, the protagonist of this poem is a mother who’s trying her best to motivate her son as much as she can before he leaves home and makes his own path in life. She tells him that just because life has been hard on her doesn’t mean it will be for him also. She says not to give up hope on God and your dreams which gives a sense of hope to her son that he will make it too.

Mother to Son Mother’s eyes on me, pleading, “Don’t you fall now – Mother’s hand reaching out, touching, saying goodbye. ” Mother talking loud with fear, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. Don’t the sun look cold through the frozen window pane? Don’t you lie awake in the dark and listen to the ragin’ wind? ” Mother walking proud down a street of glitterin’ lights; Mother havin babies without no husband in sight; Mother got weary feet and dirty dress ties; Mother worryin about this world full of trouble an hate. Mother tries t o touch my arm but I moves away – ‘Cause that would bring us sorrow Mother, Mother don’t you cry!

Mother to son Talkin bout , “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. ” He says: Mother, I’m goin out in the world. Mother speaks loud and “Don’t you fall now – Mother’s hand reaching out, touching, saying goodbye. ” Mother talking with faith in her heart: “Build a dream and maybe it will come true. Don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do; It looks like hard work but don’t be afraid – No man can get more than he bargains for Out of life. ” Mother’s eyes on me pleading,”Don’t you fall now! ” Mother lowerin her head and walkin away. I rise above it all and then

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Langston Hughes: “Harlem” and “Mother to Son” Essay

The introduction, some biographical points.

While finding correlations between Langston Hughes’s experiences and his poems, there are some fundamentals concerning the poet’s life, which must be considered. First of all, it should be pointed out that James Mercer Langston Hughes is considered to be one of the most famous American poets, who contributed into jazz poetry development. Hughes is also known as a successful novelist and a social activist. The poet took part in a cultural movement of 1920-1930, which is best known as The Harlem Renaissance (“Poetry: Langston Hughes” par. 2).

The poems written by Langston Hughes reflected his inner feelings and the issues he was interested in.

The poems I would like to discuss are Harlem and Mother to Son. Of course, the title of the first poem reminds us of the events, which took place in the early twenties. In my opinion, the author reflected not only his own views concerning the expectations of African-American population, but he also depicted the ways America reacted to the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance.

When reading the poem, it becomes obvious that the poet wanted the black artists could feel free and express their inner emotions. The poet defended his own ideas and supported the black activists. As far as Hughes took active part in a cultural movement, one can make a conclusion that the poem reflects his deep concern in social issues (“Profile: Langston Hughes” par. 4).

On the one hand, it seems that the poem is rather simple and has no the point; however, one the other hand, when analyzing the hidden meaning of the lines the poem consists of, it becomes obvious that a well-known social activist tires to answer a serious question: “ What happens to a dream deferred ?” (Reuben par. 1).

The final line seems to be the answer to the question, although the answer has a form of a question, i.e.: “ Or does it explode? ” (Reuben par. 1). Thus, the analysis of the lines the poem includes gives us an opportunity to suppose that Hughes depicted the issues he was interested in, the issues, which can be regarded as burning problems of his time.

Harlem has unusual rhyme. Maybe, it is the correspondence of sound between words, which makes the process of understanding the poem more difficult. Tom Hansen is of the opinion that “Rhyme is integrated with structure in a way that typography is not. If the typography had been, structure would be that much more evident, and the poem would appear to be more logically divided into stanzas” (par. 4).

Mother to Son

The second poem written by Langston Hughes is Mother to Son. While discussing a piece of writing, I have to point out that famous social activist had poor relations with his father. The key reason of such relations was his father’s attitude towards Negroes. The poet could not understand why his father disliked the Blacks.

Generally, the poem reflects the author’s values and attitudes towards life. When analyzing the poem, it becomes evident that the poet is ready to fight for his ideas and thoughts. The line And reachin’ landin’s determines Hughes’s readiness to achieve all the aims he settled earlier.

Moreover, when reading the poem, one can also understand that the poet is not afraid of doing new things. He is not going to give up. The line And sometimes goin’ in the dark can be interpreted differently. Thus, for Tiffany Bond the line means that “maybe black people in general have experienced the worst of times first, and maybe the load will be a little lighter for later generations” (par. 3). In my opinion, the phrase means that the poet is ready to face the difficulties.

The conclusion

The importance of the poet’s ideas.

Langston Hughes’s poems reflect his worldview and the ways he accepted the reality. For a social activist the wellbeing of his nation is extremely important, as he was fighting against injustice all the time.

Works Cited

Bond, Tiffany. Mother To Son , 2006.

Hansen, Tom. On “Harlem” , 2000.

“ Poetry: Langston Hughes .” Uchicago.edu , (n. d.).

“Profile: Langston Hughes.” Virginia.edu, (n. d.).

Reuben, Paul. Chapter 9: Langston Hughes, 2011.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, October 27). Langston Hughes: "Harlem" and "Mother to Son". https://ivypanda.com/essays/langston-hughes-poems/

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Langston Hughes: "Harlem" and "Mother to Son"." October 27, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/langston-hughes-poems/.

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Dear Abby: Mom crushed as I wash my hands of jailbird brother

The man’s stealing and drug use is too much for a family reeling from the death of a child..

DEAR ABBY: My brother (eight years younger) has been hooked on drugs and in and out of jail for decades. Our father passed away five years ago. My brother lived with him in a different state until then. Prior to that, he stole from our mother and from me repeatedly.

He's a criminal and is currently in jail. When he's not in jail, he is homeless. Of course, the only time we hear from him is when he needs money. To top it off, my special-needs son recently passed away. My wife and I are devastated, although we have come to terms with the fact that he is in a better place.

With my brother back in jail, the focus has gone back to him. I have always tried to be a good brother, but I have now completely washed my hands of him. At this point, I need peace in my life, and as long as he is in mine, I will never have it. This crushes my mother, but it's how I feel. Right or wrong, I don't feel that just because someone is family, it gives them the right to make others miserable. I would love to know your thoughts on this. — BETTER BROTHER IN FLORIDA

DEAR BROTHER: Please accept my sympathy for the loss of your beloved son. That you feel you cannot handle the added stress of interacting with or supporting your drug-addicted brother (who has stolen from you) is understandable.

Do not allow your mother to guilt you into doing anything with which you are uncomfortable. If your mother decides to take him in when he's released, caution her to first remove any items of value from her home.

DEAR ABBY: Four years ago, a former friend, "Karla," offered me a nice oak side chair of hers. Karla said she had no use for it and assured me she wouldn't want it back. I accepted the chair and have used it since then.

When it was given to me, the back cushion was missing and the seat cushion was hard. After a couple of years, I bought nice fabric and had the chair repaired and reupholstered. It cost me $175. If I had thought the chair was on loan only, I wouldn't have done that. I sent her a pic of the finished improvements, and she replied that it looked nice.

A year later, she abruptly ended our friendship. She was angry with me because I had confused her airport arrival time and she had to wait an hour. Twice I apologized profusely, but Karla has not responded. (That was 14 months ago.)

Ten days ago, I received a text from one of her friends, telling me Karla wants me to return the chair she "let me borrow." The friend wanted to know when I could deliver it. I'm completely taken aback. She GAVE it to me! What is your take on this pickle? — BAFFLED IN TEXAS

DEAR BAFFLED: Ignore the text. If Karla wants the chair returned, she should ask you herself. If she does, and if you agree to it, be sure she repays IN CASH the money you spent to have the chair refurbished.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

To receive a collection of Abby's most memorable — and most frequently requested — poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby — Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)