Lesson 4: Coping with Challenges

Mother to Son
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.
The mother is telling her son that her life has not been easy, smooth, or
luxurious (like a “crystal stair” — a fancy, perfect staircase).
Instead, it has been filled with difficulties:
• Tacks → small sharp nails, symbolizing minor but painful obstacles.
• Splinters → painful irritations or setbacks.
• Boards torn up → big gaps or missing support in her path.
• No carpet → no comfort or luxury, just rough and bare experiences.

She uses the stairway metaphor to show that life’s journey is full of
hardships. The “crystal stair” represents privilege or an easy life; hers has
been the opposite.
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.

Despite the challenges, she has kept climbing (living and moving forward).
• Landin’s → resting points or small achievements along the way.
• Turnin’ corners → facing changes or uncertainties in life.
• Goin’ in the dark → moving forward even when the path is unclear,
when she had no guidance or certainty.

She is persistent, resilient, and courageous. Even without knowing what lies
ahead, she continues to strive. This reflects endurance and hope amid
adversity.

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.
She advises her son to keep moving forward and not to give up, even when
things get hard. She encourages him to avoid quitting (“set down”) or giving
up entirely (“fall”). She uses herself as an example: she is still climbing, still
fighting, despite all she has faced.

This is a message of perseverance and determination. She wants her son to

understand that hardship is part of life, but quitting is not an option. Her
lived example serves as inspiration — if she can endure, so can he.

Langston Hughes uses the mother’s voice to deliver a universal lesson:

Life is not always smooth, but through resilience, courage, and hope, we can
keep climbing. It’s also a testimony to the strength of African American
women who endured systemic hardships yet pushed forward for themselves
and their families.

Drawing Conclusions and Generalizations

Drawing a conclusion means the final judgment or main message drawn
from multiple clues. It is based on inference and evidence.
- Using clues or details from the text or what you hear and combining
them with your knowledge or reasoning to understand something that
is not directly stated.

The poem doesn’t say the mother is poor, but based on words like “no
carpet” and “bare,” we can conclude she didn’t live a comfortable life.

A generalization is a broad statement or idea formed from examples. It is

based on patterns across the poem.
- Applies to multiple situations or people based on what is observed or
heard. It goes beyond one specific case to express a more universal
truth or lesson.)

From the poem, we can generalize that life is challenging for everyone, but
perseverance is important.

Drawing Conclusion vs Making Inference

Skill Making Inferences Drawing Conclusions

Reading between the lines — A final decision or judgment
Definition figuring out something not based on what you read/heard
directly stated and what you already know
Guessing hidden meaning or Summing up the most likely
Focus
intent idea or lesson
Clues in the text + personal Inferences + more clues +
Based on
knowledge background knowledge
 Skill Making Inferences Drawing Conclusions
After gathering and reflecting
When used During reading/listening
on all the information
Full poem context →
Example Line: “It’s had tacks in it, and
Conclusion: Despite hardships,
from “Mother splinters” → Inference: Her life
she stays strong and never
to Son” has been painful.
gives up.

Concept Based on Example

If she says “splinters” and “tacks,” we
Inference Clues
infer life was painful.
Conclusion Inferences + evidence She stayed strong despite a hard life.
Generalizat Life is full of challenges, but you must
Patterns across the poem
ion persist.

Contractions are shortened forms of two words, where letters are omitted
and replaced with an apostrophe (’).

Examples:
do not → don’t
I will → I’ll
she is → she’s

Why Do We Use Contractions?

1. To sound natural and conversational
Writers use contractions to make dialogue or first-person writing feel
like speech. In poetry, especially like Mother to Son, it reflects the
speaker’s tone and background.
2. To save space or time
In casual speech or writing, especially in texts, songs, or ads,
contractions make communication quicker and smoother.
3. To reflect a speaker’s voice
In literature, contractions help create authentic voice—the way a
character or narrator truly talks.

How Are Contractions Formed?

1. Combine two words
Usually a helping verb (like is, are, have, will) and a subject or
negative word (not).
2. Omit some letters
These are replaced by an apostrophe.
3. Use standard contractions
Not all word pairs can be contracted (e.g., go not is not a
contraction—don’t go is better).
When Should We Use Contractions?
Use contractions when…
1. Writing dialogue, personal narratives, or informal texts
2. You want your writing to sound more emotional or expressive.
3. Writing poetry, songs, or speeches that reflect how people naturally
speak
Avoid contractions when…
1. Writing formal essays, academic reports, or legal documents
2. You need to be precise or authoritative in tone.

Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

Here, “ain’t” is a nonstandard contraction (used instead of “has not” or “is

not”). It’s not grammatically correct in formal writing, but perfectly
appropriate in this poem because:
 It reflects the mother’s voice.
 It matches the real-life speech patterns of many African Americans
during the Harlem Renaissance.
 It expresses emotion and identity.

Lyric poetry is a type of poetry that expresses personal feelings or

emotions, usually spoken in the first person. It often uses imagery,
symbolism, and rhythm to create a powerful emotional impact on the reader
or listener.
Feature Definition Example Effect
“Don’t go back to
Expresses strong Shows heartbreak
Emotion your X—you’ll fail
personal feelings and frustration
again.”
Uses words that “Life for me ain’t
Paints a picture of
Imagery appeal to the been no crystal
hardship
senses stair.”
An object stands
“Crystal stair” = Adds deeper
Symbolism for an idea or
Easy life meaning
concept
Creative
Figurative “My life has been a Makes abstract
comparison (simile,
Language climb” ideas concrete
metaphor, etc.)
Short,
Strong emotion in “You deserve Memorable and
Impactful
few words happiness.” persuasive
Lines
Honest, direct
Personal “I’se been a-climbin’ Makes it intimate
speaker sharing
Voice on” and relatable
experience