Subject In ‘Mother to Son,' the subject of the poem is
life
. Occasion Immediate occasion: Mother giving son advice/encouragement. Larger occasion: Parents care for their children and hope to give them the best life possible.
What is the purpose of the poem Mother to Son?
The purpose of the Langston Hughes poem “Mother to Son” is
to illustrate, through narrative, the difficulties that previous generations of black people have endured, sometimes as a sacrifice to ensure a better future for the next generation
.
Who is the audience in Mother to Son?
Who is the audience in this poem?
The mother
is speaking to her son.
What advice is the mother giving to her son put it into your own words?
The advice that she gives her son is
to keep going
. She tells him never to sit down on the steps, never to fall, and never to turn back.
What is the central idea of this poem?
The central idea of a poem is
the poem's theme or ‘what it's about' if
you like. Although many shy away from poems being ‘about' something, at the end of the day, the poet had something in mind when it was written, and that something is the central idea, whatever it is or might have been.
What are the metaphors in Mother to Son?
The central metaphor in “Mother to Son” is
the rickety staircase the mother must climb
. She compares her life journey to this dangerous staircase. She contrasts this damaged staircase to the “crystal stair” the Biblical Jacob climbed to heaven.
Why do you think the mother is advising her son?
Why do you think did the mother advise her son? Ans: The mother advised her son
because she saw him losing hope in his life
. She did so so that he could gain confidence to bounce back from his failures.
What do you think have motivated the mother to advise her son?
What do you think have motivated the mother to advise her son?
The mother might gave her son some advice for she wants her son to be prepared
. Prepared on what kind of obstacle her son might encounter.
What figurative language is in Mother to Son?
In “Mother to Son” Hughes uses
a metaphor
to describe the life of the mother. In this case, it is an extended metaphor that compares the mother's life to a staircase. Each step symbolizes a part of her life that she had to endure. This metaphor is used throughout the poem to show the meaning of the poem.
What is the central idea of the poem be a friend?
What is the central idea of the poem?
Being a friend is easy, and the rewards are great
.
What is the metaphor in the poem?
A metaphor is
a comparison between two things that states one thing is another in order to help explain an idea or show hidden similarities
. Unlike a simile that uses “like” or “as” (you shine like the sun!), a metaphor does not use these two words.
What does tacks mean in Mother to Son?
As a black woman, her journey has been hard, and as she describes it, the staircase she has had to climb has “
tacks
in it”, “splinters”, “boards tore up”, “places with no carpet”, and is “bare”. It has not been a smooth and easy journey of life; the kind of life that a crystal staircase would provide.
What does i'se still Climbin mean?
In other words, the “crystal stair” is basically the opposite of the staircase the speaker has had to climb. … Despite everything, she announces, “I'se been a-climbin' on.” In other words,
the speaker believes that she and her son can still lead successful lives, despite the obstacles in their way
.
What does the mother tell her son about life?
Why is she telling her son about her life in this way in “Mother to Son”? This delightful poem consists of a narrator telling
her son that life can get hard but simultaneously encouraging him to never give up, no matter what life throws at him
.
What did the mother notice about her son?
Answer: The mother regards her son
with immense affection and unhealthy liberty
. The phrase in question is “Forbidden-not a word for this lovely lad.”
What are the struggles the mother has seen in life in the poem Mother to Son?
Survival for the mother means a movement to free themselves from slavery and racial segregation. “Mother to Son” tells a mother's struggle. The poem also
tells the mother's advice for her son to survive in this life even the life is being cruel to him
. Each line of “Mother to Son” describes the struggle.
