An Explication Of Langston Hughes Mother To Son

An Explication of Langston Hughes Mother to Son Langston Hughes once stated in his own words that his whole purpose for writing was, to explain and illuminate the Negro condition in America. In the poem Mother to Son, he denotes his belief on racism in America. In Mother to Son, a mother is giving advice to her son about life from her perspective and experiences. She wants her son to keep striving on what he believes and to have a more prosperous life than what she had. Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri in 1902. He lived with his grandmother for most of her life but often stayed with his mother in Cleveland, Ohio. He grew up in poverty and was exposed to racism in his youth. However, he believed that things would†¦show more content†¦This was also during a time when Congress had passed several laws to protect Negroes civil rights. In contrast, many whites disregarded the newly won rights of Negroes. (World Book Encyclopedia. Civil Rights. Field Enterprises Educational Corporation. Chicago. 1977. P.468) Like many other Lyrics, Mother to Son, is expressing the thoughts and feelings of a single speaker and is written in first person point of view. In the very first line, Well, son, I ll tell you, Hughes demonstrates to the reader that this is going to be a first person point of view. Readers can see that the mother is the central character in this poem because the reader is focused on her next word as she describes her view of lif e. The mother speaks her thoughts and feelings for the entirety of the poem but the boy doesn t speak at all. This is called a dramatic monologue. Langston s attitude toward life in Mother to Son is slightly unpleasant but solemn and trustworthy. The reader gains a sense of sympathy for the mother as she tells her son about her misfortunes from the past. In Mother to Son, a mother is urging her son to keep striving with assurance to have a more prosperous life than she had. Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri in 1902. He was a well-known poet during the Harlem Renaissance. He believed strongly in his culture and he had faith that things would change for the better. The title itself gives the reader a sense of