“Mother to Son” is a poem by Langston Hughes. The poem was written in 1922. “Mother to Son” is about a mother who is telling her son that life isn’t easy; there are difficulties, but he has to keep moving forward. It tells us that sometimes life gets hard, but it’s harder if one gives up. There are bumps in the road of life. Langston Hughes uses symbolization, extended metaphor, and imagery in “Mother to Son” to illustrate that life is a difficult journey. In “Mother to Son,” symbolization is used to communicate the purpose of the poem. The poem tells us that life isn’t always easy and laid out for everyone.. The stairs in this poem symbolize the struggles of life. Hughes says, “It had tacks in it, and splinters” (Hughes). He is telling
