Submitted by: Submitted by chynnea
Views: 663
Words: 275
Pages: 2
Category: English Composition
Date Submitted: 04/06/2010 01:59 PM
The poem, “The Negro Mother” is about a slave telling her children and other
generations of African Americans to never give up on success. She wants them to
remember what the slaves went through to get where they are now. She wants them to
remember the struggles they had to face to take to freedom. The poem is motivational for
people of color and to show that no matter what the outcome of our success is, they will
always support us.
By using poetic language and rhythm, he get’s his point across. He uses language
such as similes (line 6. Look at my face -- dark as the night -…). He uses first person
language. He puts himself in the shoes of the negro mother. When the reader reads the
poem, they will feel as though the mother is talking to them personally.
Another viewpoint is “This poem is deep and emotional. It describes and images
the struggle and strife that African - Americans had to do in order to break free from the
chains of slavery. This woman tells her story of her hope that her children and every
other African-American will lead the way to a better and more productive life for all
blacks. Langston Hughes used figurative language and great word choice to create an
educational tone for all to read. The Negro Mother is not only for African-Americans but
it can represent the struggle that everyone has had to be where they are
today.”( http://www.eliteskills.com/c/11753)
Works Cited
"The Negro Mother - Poem by Langston Hughes." Famous Poets and Poems - Read and Enjoy Poetry. 12 Mar. 2009 .