A Comparison Of Invictus And Mother To Son By Langston Hughes

In the English language the definition of hardship is a tough experience that someone faces during their lifetime. No one lives a perfect life. There will be rough times. This idea can be seen in many piece of texts including the following poems. “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley and “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes both convey the message that life is not going to be perfect or easy. There will be tough times.

In the poem “Invictus” William Ernest Henley shows that everybody in life will experience hardships they key is to overcome them. The use of a simile helps people relate as to how it actually was. The speaker states, “Black as the pit from pole to pole” (Henley 2). It is used to help the reader picture how dark the speaker's life is at the moment in the night. It helps to show the theme because black is a dark color and darkness can show hardships and tough times. Another device Henley uses is imagery because it helps people visualize what is happening. The speaker states, “My head is bloody, but unbowed” (Henley 8). The speaker has been beaten down but he is still looking up. It helps to show the theme because it help the reader visualize the struggles and hardships the person is going through but he still can forgive.

The use of symbolism allows the reader to imagine certain everyday objects as something much deeper. The speaker states, “crystal stair” (Hughes 20). The symbol of crystal stair is comparing crystal to something perfect and stair to show the journey through their life. Another device Hughes uses is an extended metaphor throughout the whole poem. The speaker states, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair” (Hughes 2). The extended metaphor throughout the poem compares their life to a crystal stair. The speaker talks about climbing up the stair which is like going through years of