Tekela Genous
October 28, 2009

ENG 435

Langston Hughes “Mother to Son” is written entirely from a weary mother’s point-of-view and presents inspiration, themes, and imagery concerning the appearance and the reality of the poem. Every mother wants to see her child be successful in life through the hardships and the good times. The poem was written from a mother to her young son demonstrating the love and concern a mother has for her son and educating him on how life may be. The overall message is to never give up, although life is hard, one can never give up no matter what your struggles are, keep pushing forward. This poem implies that experience can teach life lessons, which the mother has been through time after time. She explains to her son in a well spoken way that things may go wrong, don’t get content, move forward and never give up. This poem reminds me of a novel named Push, written by Sapphire in 1996, it illustrates the conditions of living in Harlem in the 1980’s and the suffering of a girl, Claireece Precious Jones, who experienced sexual harassment, being committed twice by her own father, having two children by him, but never giving up.

The first couple of stanzas show that the son may have asked his mother a question, because she starts with, "Well, son, I'll tell you." The mother then goes on and uses the metaphor “Life for me ain't been no crystal stair,” which can symbolize her spiritual pursue towards Christ or telling her son that life is a journey and not something you can walk through with ease. The mother says it had tacks and splinters which could symbolically mean the life she has experienced is complicated. This also could mean the places she lived at had “no carpet on the floor”, and/or lifted boards. The damaged parts of the stairway may represent the powerlessness of individuals to repair the ripped structures of their lives (poverty and decreased opportunity) or it may represent the disadvantages of black life in America.

After listing several of the problems she’s encountered and what he may encounter on his journey, the mother insists the worth of perseverance and having faith in your goals. From lines 7-13 she makes obvious that, despite obstacles, she has continued to push forward through it all. She insists that she doesn't want her son to avoid this staircase. She wants him to forge on and upward. The mother’s progression can represent all African Americans that wouldn’t give up or turn around. The mother may be using metaphors for climbing, reaching, and turning corners as a way for victories and triumphs of racial and spiritual struggles. She can be using this to show her son that life has its ups and downs but it can present optimism and accomplishments.

From lines 12-13 the mother says she’s “goin’ in the dark / where there ain’t been no light”, can represent her struggling with her own faith and goals but she didn’t give up. Hughes is showing the readers that the mother has had her own demons to fight, but with perseverance she’s made it through. She shares with her son that troubles don’t last always and if I can do it, you can too. She also uses this as a metaphor and tells her son that it may be dark sometimes and things may go wrong, but remember it’s always light at the end of the tunnel.

The last six lines (14-20) details the mother’s advice to her son, which turns from hardships her son should expect, to having determination and perseverance. These last seven lines encourage her son to keep going, regardless of setbacks, and your own will on wanting to give up. In line seventeen the mother tells him “Don't you fall now, For I'se still goin', honey” because they have came so far, so he must not give up now. Her “fall” can symbolize her falling from her spiritual grace or the setbacks of us as an African American race. At the end of the poem the mother thoroughly express that she’s “still climbin” and there is no turning back.

After reading this poem, it brings me back to a novel entitled, “Push” by Sapphire. This book goes through the life cycle of a young teenager named Precious. She endures so much from birth to adolescents, from molestation and impregnation; she still strives forward to not be illiterate all her life. Considering the cruelty, Precious overcomes this trauma and does not end up a statistics in society. Having two kids by her father, she only has custody of her youngest, she pushes herself to write and read so she can teach her son. She refuses to have him grow up and be dumb. She instills in him that education is important and reads to him every night Langston Hughes’s “Mother to Son”. She believes that this poem was written for her because she refuses to give up and she power to live.

Sapphire, the author of Precious said in an interview that ““we [women] are taught to be very laid-back and passive, but if we are to survive, if we are to move forward, we have to have that pushing energy.” This is exactly what Precious showed, which is shown in Hughes poem. Having that pushing energy to never give up or in, Precious suffered all types of adversity. Precious overcame her trauma, including her own strength to change her negative points of view about life, made Precious become a woman with hopes, dreams and a high self-esteem. Precious had Ms. Rain, who is her alternative school teacher, to push her for herself and her children. Ms. Rain was her mother figure/friend like the mother in Hughes poem. She encourages Precious and teaches Precious how to read and write and, at the same time, she helped her to overcome the experience of sexual harassment she has suffered. Ms. Rain, an exceptional teacher, an outstanding adviser, and an admirable human being. Although her children were the result of a painful experience, Precious’s children mean a huge motivation and a considerable sign of love in the novel.

Her children are her motivation to do what she thinks she can’t, which is read and write. Precious writes “Little Mongo on my mind” [61] “Abdul is my shiny brown boy. In his beauty I see my own,” this show how important they are for her to live in spite of the dark world she comes from. This drives Precious to educate her son as a baby on education, life and the numerous hardships he may face. Through all of Precious shortcomings and struggles she has endured and overcame the stigma of being illiterate, molested, and a teenage mother. She found her own strength within and overcame a negative self-image to become the educated mother of two.

In conclusion, there are certain instances in our life where we face difficulties and trauma. We experience suffering and hardships, but if we receive help from others and their values we can persevere over life’s obstacles. People’s actions, advice, and their words can play a major role in having a victorious outcome. The poem by Hughes and Push by Sapphire shows that with a little of encouragement you can move toward your goals through life. You may be faced with obstacles but have the perseverance to keep moving forward.