Activity Overview
This activity allows students to break down the various components of the extended metaphor in ”Mother to Son”. As students read through each line, they will need to identify the figurative meanings behind Hughes’s word choices. Students should be able to cite a line from the poem and understand its literal meaning (as it pertains to the staircase) and its figurative meaning (as it pertains to the mother’s life). With this storyboard, students should choose 3-5 important lines from the text and depict their figurative meaning. Below each image, have students provide a brief explanation of the image they chose to represent.
”Mother to Son” Figurative Language
"Life for me ain't been no crystal stair"
Life has been difficult for the speaker. She has had to struggle and work hard to survive and improve her circumstances.
"It's had tacks in it/ and splinters"
The "staircase" of life has been filled with difficulties.The tacks and splinters represent hardships and moments that brought the mother pain. These could include working long hours, losing a job, dealing with illness, watching a loved one die, or many other difficulties.
“Bare”
The "bare" portion of the staircase again suggests difficulties. By isolating the word "bare" in its own line, Hughes suggests the mother was lonely or poor. She had no soft carpet of friends or money to bring her comfort or to ease the pain of her journey.
"And sometimes going in the dark/Where there ain't been no light"
The darkness represents hopelessness. When the speaker says there "ain't been no light", she suggests that there is no happy, bright spot in her life to bring her joy or give her hope in a brighter future.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Choose 3-5 lines from the poem and write them in the headings.
- Write your interpretation of the literal meaning for each in the description boxes.
- Illustrate each using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
- Save and Exit
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examples of Figurative Language | There are three examples of figurative language. | There are two correct examples of figurative language. | Only one of the examples of figurative language is correct. |
| Types of Figurative Language | All three examples are correctly identified as simile, metaphor, or personification (or other) in the title box. | Two examples of figurative language are correctly identified as simile, metaphor, or personification (or other). | Only one example of figurative language is correctly identified as simile, metaphor, or personification (or other). |
| Illustrations | Illustrations depict the example of figurative language from the story with clear visuals of appropriate scenes, characters, items, etc. | Illustrations depict the example of figurative language from the story but are unclear or incomplete. | Illustrations do not make sense with the examples chosen. |
| Descriptions | There are descriptions for all three example of figurative language that correctly explain what the figurative language means in the context of the story. | One of the descriptions is missing or the descriptions do not fully explain what the figurative language means in the context of the story. | Two or more descriptions are missing or they do not explain what the figurative language means. |
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Mother to Son
![Mother to Son by Langston Hughes - "Mother to Son" Ideas Web](http://cdn.storyboardthat.com/storyboard-cells/2960363/cell-row-0-col-0-w400.png "Mother to Son by Langston Hughes - "Mother to Son" Ideas Web")
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