Question

100 POINTS PLEASE HELP

Read "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes. Then, respond to the question that follows.

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.

In a well-written paragraph of 5–7 sentences, explain the meaning of the crystal stair as a symbol as it relates to the poem. Your response should cite textual evidence from the poem that supports your explanation of the symbolism.

Answer 1

In the second line, the mother recites “ Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” This is the first time we hear of “crystal stair”. She then goes on to describe her life or “stair” “it had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor- Bare.” Her “stair” which now we know means her life wasn’t all crystal and perfect, it had imperfections, challenges, and hardships. She also says “Where there ain’t been no light.”, meaning where she hasn’t been or experienced before.