Question

Read the poem "Mother to Son' by Langston Hughes. Then, answer the question that follows.

Well, son, ril tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
Irs had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor-
Bare.
But all the lime
I'se been a-dlimbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' comers,
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 l'se stil goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
In a paragraph of four or five sentences, explaln how the theme of "Mother to Son" is developed through figurative language. Your response should
•state the theme in a complete sentence
provide examples of figurative language from the text that support the theme
explain how your examples of figurative language relate to the theme (HELP ASAP.)

Answer 1

The theme of "Mother to Son" is the struggle and perseverance through difficult times. The mother uses figurative language to convey this theme, such as when she says "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair." This metaphor compares life to a staircase that is not smooth and easy to climb, but instead has "tacks," "splinters," and "boards torn up." The mother also uses personification when she says she has been "climbin'" and "reachin' landin's," giving life-like qualities to the act of climbing a staircase. These examples of figurative language relate to the theme by emphasizing the hardships and obstacles that the mother has faced, but also highlighting her determination to keep climbing and not give up.