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Wed 30 Nov, 2005 07:32 pm
I'm Thai so,i has a problem about English language. Please tell me
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.
I want to know
How does the speaker view life?
From the mother's message, what can we infer about her character?
What figure of speech is used? Explain its meaning?
what is climbing upstairs compared to?
Hello, ying-ying, and welcome to A2K.
Langston Hughes was a fabulous black poet. The poem is written in black dialect of the past to make a point. You really need to research Hughes to appreciate his poetry.
The way you put it, it sounds like an academic question... It's against my very principles to make the student's works. Sorry.
I think a good start would be to learn a bit on Hughes' life, way of thinking and other works. Then on the context of the writing of the poem. You can find plenty of infrmations on Hughes on the net After that, answer the questions one by one. Phocalise your attention on the different aspects you're asked to phocalise on. It will come naturally.
R.E. In what part of France do you live? "phocalise?" It does seem that Ying Ying would have responded by now, however.
Is "focus" better? I was thinking about the french verb "focaliser" and spelled it the wrong way... Sorry...
If it's a real question, and not a way to suggest that I'm not in France (
), I live in the northern suburb (the "banlieue") of Paris.
Well, dear. Focus is a better English word, but I like your French version better for the sound of it.<smile> Thank you, R.E. for being thoughtful enough to respond.
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