Question

Mother to Son

BY LANGSTON HUGHES
Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s 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 a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

Question:
Identify the poem’s major theme and explain how the author’s use of metaphor helps to develop that theme. Use specific evidence from the poem to explain your answer.

Answer 1

Well the theme in general describes how life isn't easy, but you have to push on and not look back.
The mother is telling her child what life was like for her, and how it will be for him, so her advice is to not give up. She says to her son, "I’se been a-climbin’ on" and "So boy, don’t you turn back.". Even though she claims that "
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair", the theme of this short poem is to not give up to life's adversities.