“Mother to Son” |
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After you have read the poem, think about and write down thorough answers to each of the questions below. You may discuss you answers with another student in the class. |
| 1. What does the speaker mean when she says: “Life
for me ain’t been no crystal stair?” 2. What’s the main advice that the speaker gives to her son? (Quote it and explain it in your own words.) 3. Describe the two contrasting stairways and explain how they work as metaphors for life. Be specific, explain carefully, and reflect. 4. Analyze the metaphor of the wooden stairway. Explain what each of the following could represent in real life: a) tacks and splinters, b) boards torn up, c) no carpet, d) landings, e) turning corners, f) being in the dark. 5. Would the speaker prefer a life on the crystal stair? Explain your opinion. 6. Why do you think Langston Hughes wrote this poem in dialect? How does this language form add to the meaning of the poem? |