Entry #8, Response on "Mother to Son"

In this poem, Langston portrays a mother (or so some think) to be speaking to her 'son' about how life can be hard, but we just have to keep going.  Knowing Langston Hughes (my teacher in 5th grade taught us about the Harlem Renaissance), he speaks a lot about racial issues, being he is a black man in the early 1900s where everywhere is filled with segregation.  I feel like even though he doesn't openly say the everlasting issue of race in this poem, he sort of implies it.  Langston Hughes is a person with certain qualities and feelings, and just because he is writing a very general poem doesn't mean he has to forget who he is.  As if Langston Hughes is a package, to write an amazing poem he sort of needs the whole package. 

Some people in 807 disagree with me, and say it is a poem intended for everyone as an audience.  As I was talking with my table, I sort of realized it's a mix of both.  I still feel the poem has a bit more of a sympathetic hand toward the African-Americans, since the language of the poem was of their culture (for example "I'se").  Yet, at the same time, the truth is we all have hardships.  As Pheobe said (while talking to her) "A crystal staircase is slippery."  I think by that she meant having a 'perfect' life is hard.  In a way, the further you get up a staircase, the further you have to fall, and on a crystal staircase, it would hurt even more.  And also, crystal is cold and unforgiving.  Crystal staircases are built to be symmetrical, and having a life without changes as you grow would basically mean your life is useless.  Who wants a life that they are living for nothing?

I wonder why everyone thinks there is a perfect life.  I honestly don’t think one exists, since we are humans (not robots).  Wouldn’t a perfect life be so boring?  I mean, like Sarah McLachlan says in ‘World On Fire’, “The more we take, the less we become.”  When I do think of the perfect life, I think everyone can agree we think of endless money, since that is what our world is based off now.  By having hardships, it makes every other small, good thing in life seem even better.  If we get used to no troubles, our expectations will always rise, and nothing will ever satisfy us.  We have to learn to live with the ‘tacks, splinters, and boards torn up’ to keep climbin’.  

Ms. Galang said that if we interpret this poem as different speakers, the message of the poem will be totally different.  I understand why that could be so, but since this poem is so true for everyone, no matter what the language is, it makes an impact on all of our lives.  Everyone can relate to a time where ‘there ain’t been no light”, no matter who we are.