In the poem “Momma” by Chrystal Meeker, the narrator shows the reader what the true meaning of being a mother is. It shows that it is not about what a mom can give to their child or what they buy for them, but what they will give up for their children. In this poem, a mother looks back on her own childhood and realizes what her mother was willing to sacrifice for her children. The poem expresses a mother struggling to raise her children amongst difficulties and the true meaning of motherhood.…
The theme of, "Mother to Son," by Langston Hughes, is to keep moving on even when the worst of times is trying to hold you back. "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair/It's had tacks in it/And splinters,"(line 2-4). With this in mind, I believe the narrator is trying to metaphorically explain that the tacks and splinters in the mother's life are the parts in her life where she experience the most pain, like becoming broke or losing a family member. These tacks are what slows the mother down in her long climb, but, as she keeps saying, “She's been climbin’ on.” Also, line seventeen through eighteen describes, “Don't you set down on the steps/'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.” This furthers the point of the difficulty of life, if you stop…
When reading the two poems 'The rose that grew from concrete' written by Tupac Shakur and 'Mother to Son' by Langston Hughes, you will notice that they both have several distinct similarities and contrasts. The First poem written by Tupac Shakur talks about a rose that grows from a crack in the concrete all on its own with determination, and the central idea is that the hardships we face as children/teenagers don't have to shape our future in a negative way. The second poem by Langston Hughes is about a mother telling her son not to give up because she didn't when her life got hard, and the central idea is not to give up because all problems can be overcome with perseverance and determination. The biographical events that took place in both…
The poet, Langston Hughes displays the theme of resilience and strength amongst adversity in many of his works, however, it predominantly resonates in his poem, “Mother to Son”. Hughes displays this lesson through showcasing the mother’s hardships, and her desire for her son to acquire resilience amongst a life of struggle. The speaker is a mother, a woman with a young son. This mother has endured many hardships which have made her the person she currently is. When reflecting on her life mother states, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.…
"Children, I come back today./ To tell you a story of the long dark way./ That I had to climb, that I had to know./ In order that the race might live and grow." --Langston Hughes. In his poem "The Negro Mother", Hughes describes the prejudices and the struggles his mother faced growing up in a time of segregation. Hughes illustrates the depressing lifestyle the blacks lead by symbolizing their lives as a "long dark way". Similarly, in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee teaches about the prejudices and hatred colored people faced in the 1930's. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout Finch narrates the story as a woman reflecting on her events from childhood. Through the course of the novel, young Scout learns about the prejudice colored…
Have you ever faced adversity? Adversity is everywhere in life but you can overcome it. Life has all sorts of hard spots but if you keep trying you will get out of those ruts of life. there is many different types of adversity such as trying and trying but failing at something over in over but you have to keep trying according to "The man in the arena" Theodore Roosevelt "who strives valiantly; who errs, who does actually strive to do good deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotion;who spend himself worthy of cause; who at the best knows in the end triumph of high achievements , and who at the worst, if he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat" another example is in the poem by Langston Hughes mother to son "life for me ain't been no crystal stair its had tacks in it,and splinters,and boards torn up,and places with no carpet on the floor,bare. But all the time ,i'se been climbin' on....." you are the master of your fate and the captain of your soul according to William Ernest Henley in the poem…
In Langston Hughes' Salvation, Hughes illustrates himself as a little boy, who's decisions at a church one morning, reflect the human races instinctive tendency to conform and in a sense, obey. That morning in church, Hughes is indirectly pressured to go up to the altar and "be saved" by seeing the light of god.…
The theme of “Mother to Son” is perseverance to live life without giving up. The mother compares her life to a ragged staircase which has “tacks” and “splinters” representing her life hardships and challenges such as financial strain and maintain a household. She is still determined to be “climbin’ on” the stairs despite the pain caused by the “tacks” and “splinters” along the way of every step. The mother encourages her son to never “set down on the steps” from the uphill challenges in life such as living through a struggle. She hopes to see her son face these obstacles rather than turning…
In the beginning of the story, Mrs. Jones is bravely walking home from work. She…
Many leaders in today’s society possess characteristics that determine how they are either chosen or self-made. These characteristics could range from being a charismatic, transformational, motivational, or influential leader. Each has its own meaning, but it is possible for leaders to possess more than one characteristic. Being a charismatic leader consists of having a charming and colorful personality. As the text reads, “In the study of leadership, charisma is a special quality of leaders whose purposes, powers, and extraordinary determination differentiate them from others."…
Langston Hughes' poem, "Mother to Son" is reminiscent of the well-known expression "let's have a father to son chat"; however, in this case, the saying is altered to "mother to son." One may ask, "so where is the father"." Possibly, this is one of the many struggles that the "son" in this poem must face when the mother is compelled to offer her sage advice. The advice and consequently theme of the poem is determination and courage, in particular when confronting the uphill battle of life. Poetic devices, such as informal language, symbolisms, metaphors, repetition, and format lend to the theme.…
Personally for me , I felt more similarly to the Langston Hughes essay. The era the essay is written from might be another reason since it is more modern and easier to relate. Compared to the Gates essay it was easier to wrap my head around it. I was able to dissect the essay and see the true meaning you could say. The wording Huge used was also more modern and easier to understand.…
Jim Carrey is now a wealthy man because of his career as a comedian. Furthermore, before he had obstacles which started with his father losing his job as a musician which led to his family living in a van. Instead, Jim Carrey was optimistic towards how when his father lost his job, and he never lost hope of what was laying up ahead. Therefore, in Langston Hughes, “ Mother to Son” the mother explains to her son that he should be optimistic, which leads to the major theme of, no matter how hard the obstacles, keep on going.…
Determination is the essence of life. If you take a look at any successful person, that is one thing in common that they all share. Whether it be a Fortune 500 CEO, or a successful small business owner, determination is one of the most important traits you can have in your life. In the new generation today, most people don’t have goals in their lives, and are extremely lazy, and most importantly, lack determination to accomplish anything. These terrible character traits displayed by our youth could result in our great nation’s demise.…
In “Thank You, Ma’am”, Langston Hughes uses the wisdom of an older woman to teach a child the importance of righteous actions. Mrs. Jones is representative to a motherly figure: through acts of kindness and understanding she aims to make a positive impact on a child’s life. Mrs. Jones, a main character, expresses acts of kindness and compassion towards a child in need of guidance. Instead of ridiculing Roger, the young boy, she empathized with the desperation of his actions. Hughes uses the symbolism of motherhood in Mrs.Jones, to positively influence a young child who lacks parental figures.…