Thematic Analysis

In my thesis, I am going to analyze the themes of Langston Hughes poems, “Mother to Son”, Harlem “A Dream Deferred”, and “Weary Blues”. I choose to analyze the three poems in my thesis since they closely deal with life challenges of hopes and dreams African Americans come to face.

The theme of these poems varies among each other. “Mother to Son” is about a mother, attempting to demonstrate her affection and concern towards her son through her wisdom, she imparts on him, and through the example of her own life experience, a climb up a staircase. Every mother wants their child to prosper in life. Mothers spend their time reassuring their children to pursue in their footsteps, seize on chance that will come, and not be frightened by any circumstances. The counsel given from the mother to her son is that life is full of ups and downs, and stumbling blocks. However, through all that life throws one has to retain the faith and keep on rising, there is no turning back or sitting down. This poem relates the staircase as a metaphor “Well, son, I’ll tell you: Life ain’t been no crystal stair” (Line 1-2).

The mother is implying to her son that life is not just something you can stroll through alongside with ease, but is a long, hard path that goes on forever. “It’s had tacks in it, and splinters, and boards torn up, and no carpet on the floor” (Line 3-6). Life presents you with obstacles and impediments can stand in your way, but you have to get passed them. The speaker attempts to communicate this message to her son, because she wants him to prepare and be ready for trials he could quickly face in his life. The speaker could be troubled or frightened of the choices her son could make, so she is informing him on how to deal with the ad...

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...th African American people who come from , Harlem Renaissance period, and the concerning of discrimination gave by white people towards black people. In my opinion, Hughes is successful in giving the subject of discrimination in his poems. Three of Langston Hughes’ poems display the spirit of optimism in confronting discrimination, overcoming hurdles in life, and not letting your dream be deferred.

Works Cited

Hughes, Langston. “Mother to Son”. Literature and the Writing Process. Ed. Elizabeth McMahan. Boston: Pearson, 2011. 528 lines (1-20). Print.

Hughes, Langston. “The Weary Blues”. Literature and the Writing Process. Ed. Elizabeth McMahan. Boston: Pearson, 2011. 528 lines (1-35). Print.

Hughes, Langston. Harlem “A Dream Deferred”. Literature and the Writing Process. Ed. Elizabeth McMahan. Boston: Pearson, 2011. 531 lines (1-10). Print.