Analysis Of Mother To Son By Langston Hughes

After reading the selection of poems by Langston Hughes the one that spoke to me was Mother to Son. This poem has a strong theme of how gruesome life could be in America prior to the Civil Rights Movement. The mother, who is the narrator of the poem, uses the image of a staircase to symbolize her life’s journey. Instead of the perfect staircase that would have been seen in Gatsby’s house, she often refers to the staircase by saying “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” Through her words she vividly describes her life experiences and challenges through the illustration of the staircase. The obstacle and challenges are heard in her figurative description of the staircase. She states that the staircase had tacks, splinters, and was lacking carpet. By describing the staircase this way she demonstrates that the staircase is a treacherous and dangerous place with many obstacles.

One can only imagine how rough the staircase must have looked and how appalling it must have been to walk on.

The image of the staircase could also represent the unjust path of life for African Americans in America prior to the Civil Rights Movement. Before the Civil Rights Movement blacks were separated from others and treated much worse than anyone else in the country. Referring back to the concept of the staircase the theme comes across clearly. The obstacle and struggles, (depicted by the staircase) that the Africans had to overcome/climb was not always pleasant. The tacks and splinters in the staircase symbolize the tragedies and obstacle of African American lives. For example, many Africans were separated from their families and were forced into labor. America was certainly not the ‘Land of opportunity’ for the

minorities.
The theme of Mother to Son also had an effective tone. The poem includes a noticeable dialect, which adds sincerity. Because Hughes added the dialect it makes the poem more personable. It gives the poem a sense that a mother would actually be telling her son this. Also, the mother and son hold an importance to the story. The poem starts with the mother saying “Well son, I’ll tell you:”. Because she referred to the son it implies that the son asked a question, perhaps about the past or about his mother’s life. This poem can speak to many people due to the fact that Hughes made it personal. Many people tend to be captivated by a situation when they know other people have gone through similar situations. If the author had not included the dialect of the mother and the question of the son, this poem would not have been as effective; it would have been felt more like a history textbook rather than a personal poem.
The most significant part of the poem is the overlying theme of perseverance. Instead of giving up, one must look forward and never give up. The mother says in the poem “So, boy, don’t you turn back. Don’t you set down on the steps.” This line is that everybody should live by in any time period. The mother is telling her son to keep moving forward and to not give up, time ahead will get better. Also, the second part of the line encourages the child not to rest either. By his possibility of resting on the stair, he may never get back up and continue on his journey. The overlying theme of what the mother is saying would be important to anyone. Rather than just giving up and taking the easy way out, it is important to continue working and fighting for what you believe in. As the mother said when she ended the poem “I’se still climbin’, And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” She ends the poem by telling her son that even though life has been hard, unfair and unjust she continues to persevere in the hope of a better life. This quote is important and can be seen around the world. The mother in this case is acting as the son’s inspiration and shows him the correct way of to never give up even if the entire country is against you.