Here crystal stair symbolizes smoothness or beauty. Analysis of mother to son by langston hughes literature project. Having a son can be one of the greatest joys they will ever experience but also one of the greatest challenges. The mother poem to son is written by langston hughes. The mother says her life has not been a smooth ride. Mother to son questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on mother to son. In mother to son, by langston hughes, the speaker is a mother addressing her son. The bond between mother and son quotes quote kids mom mother family quote family quotes children son mother quotes. Get an answer for what is the symbolism in the poem mother to son by langston hughes. The mother to son poem is rich and ribald tapestry of corruscating haberdashery. Does the poem talk of ail exclusively personal experience or is it fairly universal. It is written from a mother s perspective, as she tells her son about the struggles in life. Kerala syllabus 10th standard english solutions unit 5 chapter 2.
She is worried her son will sit up, give up or fall because he finds life hard. My future father in law will be reading a children s book to my future wife as a replacement for the fatherdaughter dance. What is the central idea of the poem mother to son. Mother to son by langston hughes well, son, ill tell you. She explains to the son that life has never been easy for her. These two poems are not as widely anthologized, but are thematically similar in the way hughes expresses the disparity between the. In this book, the main character, jeremy, is looking in the mirror and naming what he sees. From traditional ballads about maternity to courtly elegies for mothers, the 200 poems in this book represent. Sixth grade lesson write in the style of mother to son. What do you think the speaker in mother to son means when she says that her life was not been a.
Both standards will be intentionally taught, discussed and practiced in this module. No generic book summaries, but the specific content you need to. In mother to mother the mother of the murderer of a white student in cape town tries to gain the forgiveness of the victims mother. Langston hughes 19021967 was an american poet, activist, novelist, and playwright. The poem mother to son by langston hughes is a poem that i like to use in class because it has a great message and i really like the metaphor the author uses with the crystal stairs. She explains that the stairs arent made of crystal and. He is also considered one of the leaders of the harlem renaissance, which was the cultural, social, and artistic movement of black artists that took place in harlem between the end of world war i and the mid1930s. Todays class begins by rereading mother to son by langston hughes, which we read and analyzed the previous day. The poem written by langston hughes tells us that life is not a bed of roses it has many tacks and splinters in the way of success and at times it is difficult to cope with them so we should never give up. This week in class, were reading mother to son by langston hughes. Mother to son by langston hughes poem, questions and ppt. Summary of mother to son popularity of mother to son.
It is two stanzas long, and the content dictates the form. Critical analysis of the poem mother to son literature. The poem opens with the mother speaking to her son or like she is answering a question that he might have asked. The poem communicates the message of staying hopef. Its had tacks in it, and splinters, and boards torn up, and places with no carpet on the floor bare. 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 hughess first book the weary blues 1926. A mother speaks tenderly to her son of the rashness of depending on. All the exercises and question and answers given at the back of the lesson have been covered. What are some alternatives to a motherson dance at a.
Mother to son analysis literary devices and poetic devices. The poem is about a mother giving advice to her son about the challenges of life. A visual presentation on poem mother to son by langston hughes by the students of 10 a bhss kalady duration. While there are difficult times, you must keep moving like you would while walking up a staircase. In this a chair for my mother worksheet, learners read the book a chair for my mother and answer short answer questions about it. The main symbolism in the poem is when mother compares her life to a staircase. The poem mother to son, by langston hughes, is an uplifting, hopeful poem about never giving up. Langston hughes poem mother to son questions with key an inspiring message is conveyed in this poem. In this poem, a mother uses the metaphor of life being like a staircase to give advice to her son.
But all the time ise been aclimbin on, and reachin landins, and turnin corners, and sometimes goin in the dark where there aint been no. I was just wondering what is the mother to son poem by langston hughes about. In the poem of the mother to son, whom is the speaker addressing and about what. Mother to son langston hughes well, son, ill tell you. The poem mother to son is a poem about a mothers advice to her son, using a stairway as a metaphor for life. In 1956, king recited hughes poem mother to son from the pulpit to honor his wife coretta, who was celebrating her first mothers day. Mother to son is one of my all time favorite poems.
She uses it as a metaphor to elaborate on her life experiences hence the darkness on the staircase is her troubles and difficulties. Langston hughes was a prominent writer during the harlem renaissance. A mother speaks tenderly to her son of the rashness of depending on strangers for the solutions to didactic queries. More about this poem mother to son by langston hughes about this poet langston hughes was a central figure in the harlem renaissance, the flowering of black intellectual, literary, and artistic life that took place in the 1920s in a number of american cities, particularly harlem. Dreams is an extremely short poem written in free verse. Mother to son by langston hughes poetry foundation.
A closer look at mother to son by jody pittock, cathy a. To do so she goes back to her and her sons childhood and thinks about certain events taking place back then, but also about the behaviour of the society. The question and answer section for langston hughes. The prose is basic or so it seems, the writing is simple never a bad thing in my opinion and characters are shown in black and white till there is an outburst of every colour imaginable. The poem describes the difficulties that black people face in a racist society, alluding to the many. For further study mother to son was first published in the magazine crisis in december of 1922 and reappeared in langston hughess first collection of poetry, the weary blues in 1926. Ive used this poem during black history month or during national poetry month. He is also considered one of the leaders of the harlem renaissance. When i saw this third kind of poem, i immediately thought of the book looking like me by walter dean myers. This online work is like draw straightarrow and earn money. Langston hughes, a famous american poet and columnist, wrote the poem mother to son as a famous dramatic monologue. Father to son class 11 english poem explanation, summary. Be sure that everyone is aware that this poem offers a clear example of the use of metaphor in its comparison of life and a staircase. Son poems, beautiful poems from mother to son and father to son.
Otherwise, begin by reading the poem aloud a few times. What is a stanza of the poem mother to son answers. In mother to son, a mother utilizes metaphor to communicate the struggles shes faced and the importance of perseverance to her son. Remember, you will be responding to the teaching task above in the next few days. In rudyard kiplings poem if, the speaker is a father addressing his son.
A narrative poem uses the voice of the narrator, and tells a story. Which line is the shortest line in the poem mother to son. The relationship of a son towards both his parents is very complex. Cite specific evidence from the text to support your response. Poem for my son prayer for my son missing my son i love my son mother son quotes my son quotes quotes for kids brother quotes best graduation quotes. Mother to mother what were the struggles gugulethu faced and the people in gugulethu faced according to the book mother to mother. Son wedding gift from mom touching mother to son poem add photo to frame.
Here is how i have annotated the poem, according to the question in my book, which asks. Here the stairs are the metaphor for life, the same as rhe road is in the beatles. Ise still climbin, and life for me aint been no crystal stair. What is the theme of the poem mother to son answers. How is the central metaphor of climbing stairs a particularly appropriate. The mothers 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. According to the poem, what is the mother worried her son may do.
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. The extended metaphor in mother to son is the mothers life described as a staircase. The staircase is symbolic of progressing through life and having the will to keep climbing. The poem mother to son was published by the poet langston hughes in 1922. It was first published in the magazine crisis in 1922. Also, the explanation is followed by a summary of the poem and literary devices used.
Find mother to son lesson plans and teaching resources. Langston hughes poem mother to son questions with key. An analysis of the use of metaphors in mother to son by. Ncert solutions for class 11 english hornbill father to son. Gilbert, susan gubar, and diana ohehir, this anthology includes poems about pregnancies, birthing and nursing, living with children, mothers grieving their children, aging mothers, grandmothers, and mothers whove passed, among other themes. Read the poem again and answer the questions choosing the most appropriate answer from the. What are some alternatives to a motherson dance at a wedding. Poems questions and answers the question and answer sections of our study guides are a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss literature. Mother to son by langston hughes, famous family poem. Poems is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
The venue doesn t allow dancing which i m okay with but i feel i need to replace that tradition with something else. Ncert solutions for class 11 english hornbill father to son questions from textbook solved a. Mother to son is a monologue that conveys the idea of hope through simple imagery. A mum is telling her son to keep moving, no matter how thorny life can be at times. Critical analysis of the poem mother to son by langston hughes. The mother compares her life to a crystal staircase but she emphasizes how her life was not so easy and beautiful. His family and friends pass by in a parade, adding titles like brother, son, and dancer to. Its had tacks in it, and splinters, and boards torn up, and places with no carpet on the. The mother informs her son that life has not always been easy for her, yet she is still carrying on.