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Perseverance In Maya Angelou And Langston Hughes

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John D. Rockefeller once said, “I do not think that there is another quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of Perseverance. It outcomes almost everything, even nature.” The narrator in each story had to go through several challenging obstacles to get to their “goal” which defines perseverance. Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes present a theme of perseverance in a very similar way. The tone of the speaker in the poem helps contribute to the presentation of its theme. 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
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Hurston consistently uses these types of symbolism to show an overarching theme, as well as particulars of the story. The language used by Hughes in Mother To Son is the perfect way that he adds a personal, accessible touch to the poem. By using such phrases as “I’se still climbin’” Hughes shows the his own mother’s specific way of talking, which is a great way to connect with the readers (Hughes, n.d.).

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In this essay i will be comparing maya angelou and langston hughes. Maya angelou was born in 1928 and Langston hughes was born in 1902. langston and maya was both born in missouri Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright maya angelou was an american author and maya was inspired by langston hughes. also maya and langston both wrote poems and books. maya angelou was a singer and a dancer langston hughes maya angelou was born Marguerite Johnson but she went by maya angelou also maya angelou was a civil rights activist and she met DR.

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Mrs. Luella Bates really hits the objective here. “Mother to Son,” demonstrates this as well. The mother really tries to wrap her son's mind around the topic of not giving up. “Don’t you fall now- For I’se still climbin’, and life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.”

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III. a. Maya Angelou was an avid writer, speaker, activist and teacher. As a result of the many hardships that she suffered while growing up as a poor black woman in the south she has used her own experiences as the subject matter of her written work. In doing this she effectively shows how she was able to overcome her personal obstacles. Her autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1970) tells the story of her life and how she overcame and moved forward triumphantly in spite of her circumstances.

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The idea that hardships may bring out of someone something they did not know they had within them is something that many people believe. American culture is one that admires resolve in the face of hardship as we believe that is when someone shines that most. However adversity does not always bring out something that was not being shown before but rather gives a new direction to talents that someone already has. Adversity may push some to recognize talents they did not they had, like for example taking an advance class in a subject they did not like but finding they are talented in understanding the subject.

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and the mother wanted to make her son to realize life is tough, life was hard and she was a slave. She knows that from her perspective that it wasn't easy. She wanted to tell her son that you need to work hard in life to get what you wanted and don't give up. According to the passage, 'well, son I'll tell you life for me hasn't been a crystal stair for me. It's had tracks in it, and splinters.

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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.

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Langston Hughes is a well know poet, Hughes is recognize for being able to portray the hardships and lifestyles of black folks during the early nineteen hundreds. Born in Jolpin, Missouri in 1902, Hughes was nurture by a lawyer and a teacher. In 1929, Hughes graduated from Lincoln University. Throughout Hughes lifespan he was able to publish several poems, two dozen plays, and founded three theaters in Harlem, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

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By Martin Luther King. was a brave man who fought like a lion against many who supported racism and segregation, Martin Luther King also had a soft place for everyone, even despite their social or economic status. In the story of Encounter with Martin Luther King Jr. by Maya Angelou, we see how an intimidating person could have a kind heart towards not only those who were high in society, but those who were suffering immensely, regardless of race. This short story also provides analysis into how someone can go through hard things, and have the strength to endure hardships when they are motivated by the right thing. The story further teaches us that to endure hardships, one must stay optimistic, respect others and not be blinded by rage, and boldly stand

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Angelou’s contribution to the Civil Rights Movement and her achievements as an activist were remarkable. While these achievements seem to be enough to last a lifetime, the Civil Rights Movement was only the beginning for Angelou. Angelou worked as an outspoken Civil Rights activist during the movement. But even after the Civil Rights Movement had ended, she continued to be a voice of humanity, speaking out against anything that harmed the human spirit. Angelou moved on to influence American society as a whole, from the 1970’s to the day she died, May 28, 2014.

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Moreover, Hughes states, “Well, son, I’ll tell you: life ain’t been no crystal stair” (1-2). This can be interpreted as a mother seeing her son going through a severe time. The audience can anticipate that a mother has a compassionate tone towards the son. Also, the reader can hear the empathy in her voice. She knows that life is not an easy road, and she sees that her son is having a rough time.

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458 Words | 2 Pages

Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou were African Americans alive during the period in American history when minority groups were fighting hard for their rights and respect among the country. These two authors used their writing skill to shed light on how African Americans felt throughout this period of time, opening many people’s eyes to how the oppressed truly felt. The civil rights movement could have had an entirely different outcome if it weren’t outspoken individuals such as these two. In Hughes’s well known poem “I, Too,” Hughes talks about how the people that mistreat him will soon regret everything they’ve done and will realize the true potential of him and everyone like him.

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The listener seems passionless in comparison to his mother’s devotion, as she underplays the situation her son is in. She still expresses her message of perseverance regardless of her perception of his life, because she does not want her son to quit. The speaker is the equivalent of the listener’s hope; without someone or something urging a person to persist, the action of continuing down the path of life during times of hardships can be almost impossible to accomplish. Langston Hughes’ himself faced hardships that made him feel hopeless. At the age of seventeen, he reached a breaking point, “I began to be very sorry for myself…I was lonesome.

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During the 1900s, there were many famous authors who wrote about African Americans and Civil Rights. This was what was going on during this time period. Segregation and discrimination towards blacks was increasing. Two famous authors were Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. Langston Hughes wrote the poem “I, Too, Sing America.”

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In the poem “I, Too”, the author Langston Hughes illustrates the key aspect of racial discrimination faces against the African Americans to further appeals the people to challenge white supremacy. He conveys the idea that black Americans are as important in the society. Frist, Hughes utilizes the shift of tones to indicate the thrive of African American power. In the first stanza, the speaker shows the sense of nation pride through the use of patriotic tone. The first line of the poem, “I, too, sing America” states the speaker’s state of mind.

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