In “Mother to Son,” the speaker employs the metaphor of a staircase to symbolize life’s vicissitudes. The mother encourages her son to persevere despite adversities, emphasizing the importance of tenacity and fortitude. She articulates, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair,” accentuating the arduous journey she has endured (Hughes). This metaphor underscores the idea that life is replete with obstacles, yet it is imperative to persist and surmount them.
Similarly, in “Learning to Read,” Douglass recounts his odyssey to literacy as a means of empowerment and