The “Mother to Son” poem written by Langston Hughes depicts a mother who tells her about difficulties she encountered in her life and continues to overcome them. Based on the example with a stair, the woman emphasizes that her life was not a crystal stair, which means that she had plenty of challenges. I selected this poem for analysis as it is rather short yet thought-provoking. Using a minimum of words, the author provides his message, speaking for the mother, who tries to explain to her son that life is difficult, but the struggle can lead to success and equality. The poem is organized as a short novel. It tells a story that African-Americans were unprepared for such drastic social and economic changes, focusing primarily on their culture and spiritual development. The above context becomes evident after understanding the language and writing style used by the author.
The author uses simple words and phrases to reflect the natural language of an average African-American mother. Such an approach also helps Hughes to become closer to readers and help them to understand his message. It seems that the following lines represent the main message: “don’t you set down on the steps” (Hughes, 1922, para. 1). The writing style is also simple and clear as there are no inconsistencies or errors in the flow of the poem. The imagery of the ladder is used in the given poem as a way to eliminate inequality between people. When the top of the stair is reached, the goal will be achieved. As a member of the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes believed in democratic reforms, art, and literature as a means of changing and influencing the white population, believed in themselves and their own bright future (Miller, 2015).
References
Hughes, L. (1922). Mother to son. Web.
Miller, R. B. (2015). The art and imagination of Langston Hughes. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.