ipl-logo

Comparing Mother To Son 'And Langston Hughes' Still I Rise

628 Words3 Pages

Let us say someone encountered a bump in life or something bad happened people will always move past it eventually because people cannot let something weigh them down for the rest of their lives. The big message or idea of these two poems is to keep moving on because people will always have to deal with problems. In “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes and Still I Rise by Maya Angelou they both convey the message that people should never give up and keep on rising no matter what happens or what people say. Throughout the poem “Mother to Son,” Langston Hughes coveys that people should always keep pushing towards their goals and not give up. To express this the author uses a metaphor which expresses this theme because the author keeps on referring to their life as not being a crystal stair. In the poem Langston Hughes states, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair” (2). This metaphor is used to show that the speaker’s life is hard, tough and not easy. Because a crystal stair is …show more content…

The author uses personification which expresses the theme because it shows people saying mean things about the speaker, but they keep moving on. In the poem Angelou states, “You may shoot me with your words, / You may cut me with your eyes, / You may kill me with your hatefulness” (21-23). This literary device is used to show that the speaker will keep moving on no matter what people say about them and how it is relatable because sometimes you get that look from someone. Another device Maya Angelou uses is a simile because she shows that even though people are saying all this mean stuff the speaker is still happy and joyful. Maya Angelou states, “Like dust, I’ll rise” (4). This is important because the speaker compares themselves to dust always rising up no matter what. It expresses the theme because they will always rise up no matter

Show More
Related
279 Words | 2 Pages

If you were told that because of your skin color or your gender you weren’t good enough or you were not seen as privileged. Would you fall and stay on the floor or would you rise despite the hate you got? Maya Angelou does just that and she proves it in a so many ways. Maya Angelou poem, “Still I Rise” displays a variety of pathos a great purpose an amazing message about getting back up, challenged the wrongs, and had an audience that has seen or one day will see all the wrongs in our society.

Read More
840 Words | 4 Pages

In the poem it talks about how you should never give up and crystals stairs. It also talks about how life can get really hard but you should never give up. It all around shows how life can get really hard but you can never give up. I also chose the poem “Crucible Of Champions'' by Nikki Grimes because it shows how if you're black you have a target on your back.

Read More
841 Words | 4 Pages

Meghan Main Mrs. Hiddleston AP Literature 12 April 2017 Poetic Analysis Project Every mother wants her child to succeed. Langston Hughes, in his poem, "Mother to Son," writes from the point of view of a mother who has a rough life. The mother's life has not been a walk in the park, but instead full of obstacles and hardships. However, she has a strong will to succeed.

Read More
324 Words | 2 Pages

The poem “Still I Rise” written by Maya Angelou and the story “The Scholarship Jacket” by Marta Saline, are two different kind of writing styles. One is a poem and the other is a story. Even though they might be two different kind of styles of writing, they still are somewhat similar. “Still I Rise” is a poem about conquering your goals in life and rising up to be the best you can possibly be. Mayas writing in this poem is very confident, in a way she almost sounds like she's bragging.

Read More
338 Words | 2 Pages

In “Mother to Son”, Hughes conveys a harsh and cruel image of perseverance, but someone get to their goal and the importance of not giving up and trying harder. Hughes is trying to explain his difficult life to something as simple as s staircase. “Life for

Read More
440 Words | 2 Pages

The poems that we have read in class all have different meanings, but they can be very similar in ways as well. Langston Hughes was a big deal during the civil rights movement and his poem spoke to Americans about equality. I, Too, Sing America talks about the how black men are also Americans and should be treated like they are equal to the white man. Maya Angelou spoke more to women and blacks about equality as well. In Still I Rise, she talks about no matter how much people try to put someone else down, they should not let it bother them.

Read More
365 Words | 2 Pages

Langston Hughes’ poem Tired has many connections with Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird. One of the most prominent connections is from the lines “I am so tired of waiting... /for the world to become good/ and beautiful and kind” (Hughes). These lines refer to a person who is waiting for the world to go back to normal; the normal being good, beautiful, and kind.

Read More
104 Words | 1 Pages

Langston Hughes Use of Extended Metaphor and Imagery Not all of us choose to keep climbing through life’s obstacles. Yet some choose to go through life’s discomforts; like the diligent mother in Langston Hughes poem, “Mother to Son.” She addresses the son in a colloquial monologue about her life’s hurdles and hardships by never giving up; “For I’se still goin’, honey,” (18). The mother also persuades her son to not give up; “So boy, don’t you turn back.” (14) “Mother to Son” uses extended metaphor and imagery to reveal the mother’s persistency and determination to her son, explaining all of her life’s anguished situations.

Read More
641 Words | 3 Pages

“Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair” (Hughes 2). This line is the most important line in the poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes. It is the only line that is repeated twice, almost verbatim. But life is not a stair nor is it made of crystal. The literal translation is somewhat irrelevant, as this poem almost exclusively uses figurative language and symbolism to convey its theme and its message.

Read More
263 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout his life, his mom told him to “never give up”, even when things get tough. This compares to the poem “Dreams” that he wrote “ Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die, Life is a broken-winged bird, That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams, For when dreams go, Life is a barren field, Frozen with snow. In the poem “Dreams”, he was telling his readers to keep trying to succeed your dream, even if you failed once to try again, because once it’s gone

Read More
1022 Words | 5 Pages

Rossetti’s narrator reiterates to “remember” her when she is “gone away” as she does not possess the ability to “half turn to go” or choose to “stay”, where vulnerability is emphasized as death is final. Contrastingly, Angelou’s narrator compares herself to “dust” where similar to this; she will “rise” as she is determined to overcome the “bitter, twisted lies” of gender and racial stigmas, where she refuses to be confined by her role in society. Where Rossetti’s poem evokes a sombre tone because she will be going metaphorically “far away into the silent land” of death, Angelou insinuates that although her antagonist may metaphorically “trod” her in the “dirt”, her fortitude will “rise” through the refusal to be victimized. Through the first person narration in both poems, triumph despite adversity remains a focus because where “Remember” aims for integrity and purity of her memory, the narrator in “Still I Rise” refuses to be disrespected by

Read More
520 Words | 3 Pages

Maya Angelou use of simile, metaphors and repetition in “Still I Rise,” is to illustrate endurance and triumph over struggles. The writer’s voice, although written in first person pronoun is representative of a group of people. Angelou’s poem was published ten years after a period of historical proportions to people of color in America, specifically the African American community.

Read More
528 Words | 3 Pages

In the poem “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou give the reader a strong understanding to not give up in difficult situations. The poem makes me feel determined into doing things that I might say that are impossible of doing. The two strong emotions are people pushing you down and feeling determined into accomplishing. Generally speaking, many people will try to push you down, when you are trying to accomplish a goal that you set your mind. The author in the poem talks about how people tried to push her down, but she rises up.

Read More
934 Words | 4 Pages

Mother to Sun: An Analysis “Mother to Son” is a poem written by African American author and poet Langston Hughes. Originally published in 1922, when Hughes was only 21 and just beginning his career as a writer, it was not until 1926 when it was republished with a number of Hughes’ other poems, in his book The Weary Blues that it gained widespread notice (Gates et al.). By that time, Hughes had become quite successful as a writer, especially in stories about African American culture, customs, and history (Gates et al.). Moreover, at that time in the mid-1920, African American culture was in the middle of a particularly production period known as the “Harlem Renaissance”, in which writers, artists, musicians, and intellectuals, including Hughes himself, had gathered together in the Harlem section of New York City actively communicated, competed and collaborated with one another to express what is was to be an African American in America.

Read More
424 Words | 2 Pages

We are here to contribute positively with grace and humbleness. We’re here to follow our own set of rules we make, not here to listen to negative vibes or opinions. In the poem, “Mother to Son,” by Langston Hughes, he writes, “ Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. It’s had tacks in it, and splinters…,” which means life wasn’t perfect for the speaker in this poem and that life will never be perfect, or easy.

Read More

More about Comparing Mother To Son 'And Langston Hughes' Still I Rise

Open Document