Mother To Son Figurative Language Essay

Poetry can tell many different stories. However, unlike the author of a novel most poets tell their stories in only a few lines. Poets accomplish this seemingly impossible task by using vivid language. They choose their words carefully in order to give their stories and characters life. When creating a character, poets have to use the correct language to make their character believable. One poet who creates these vivid characters by using language is Langston Hughes. In the poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes the voice of an African American woman comes alive by Langston’s use of the black vernacular and underlying rhythms found in the poem. When Hughes wrote “Mother to Son” African Americans were beginning to embrace their heritage and history which included Ebonics. Hughes wrote “Mother to Son” during the Harlem Renaissance when the idea of blackness and cultural identity for African Americans began to grow (Graham). During this time, African Americans started to embrace their cultural differences from white Americans. They started to create art, music, and literature that represented their history and culture. Part of this culture included the

Spoken Soul allows African Americans who read the poem to feel connected to their culture and identity. It also gives a cadence to the poem that is characteristic of the way African Americans speak. The underlying rhythm of the poem emphasizes the connection between jazz and Spoken Soul. While at first glance the poem “Mother to Son” may seem straightforward, Hughes put effort in to make the voice of the mother believable. There is so much more to Spoken Soul than just the pronunciation of words. It is important to recognize all the elements that make up Spoken Soul in order to truly appreciate it. Spoken Soul is more than just a way of speaking, it is an art