Mother To Son, By Langston Hughes

1. What do you want the reader to notice about the author’s choices?
2. Why is the poem worthy of inclusion in this anthology of American poetry? Cages Bird by Maya Angelou is a lyrical poem. The reader should notice how she uses two different birds to depict two different societies Angelou uses end rhymes, alliterations and personifications. Angelou juxtaposes how a free bird feels versus how a caged bird feels. Angelou's juxtapositions of these birds reflect the society that she lives in. The bird that is caged represent the slavery and the free people well are the freed. The overlaying theme throughout the poem was this idea oppression. She clearly uses two literary themes the reversal of fortune and survival of the unfittest. Presenting the free bird before the caged bird, helps the reader see what the

He uses colloquial language which alludes to the fact that the mother is uneducated. Alliteration is used throughout the poem though they are not bold. Hughes uses devices of anaphora with the word “And”. He also repeats lines for emphasis.The overall theme of the poem is encouragement or hope. The staircase could be seen as the staircase to the promised land of heaven. Langston's poem is very interesting. It is written from a woman's point of view by a man. It preaches perseverance and that life is not always happy, but in the end you have a crystal staircase. I believe that this poem is very much relevant today because it preaches perseverance and determination. Qualities that every human being should posses. I think this poem should be included in American Poetry because it reflects on the ideas that Americans have to work hard for what they have. They are willing to step on rusted nails and obtain splinters if it leads then to a better life, because in the end the better life will turn that old rickety staircase into one made of