Reading Between The Line, That is Between The Other Line

The more poems I read, the more I start to think about smaller details. One of the poems I interpreted this week was Mother to Son by Langston Hughes. The reason I chose to read this poem this week, was because it is one I have read many times in school, and have discussed that it seemed like I knew it well enough. While analyzing it, I noticed certain lines that showed how it was more than just a mother telling her son about how hard life has been for her, which usually seems to be the general idea. It went deeper than that, which is what I loved about it.

The line "And sometimes goin' in the dark, where there ain't been no light" is one that grabbed my attention. While reading the poem, it had always looked like a hard life was just given to her, and she just went towards the light the whole time, meaning going to positive places. In this line, she is going to the badness, to the dark. While I read this, I noticed a message she was trying to say. She was showing that sometimes to get where you need to be in life, you have to stop and acknowledge everything, including dark places that you might not want to go to. And whatever that 'dark place' is for someone, they have to deal with it, in order to move forward.

One line that I hadn't noticed till this week, was the "Don't you set down on the steps. 'Cause you finds it's kinder hard." It had never occurred to me, that the author didn't need to climb at all, that they had the choice to just stay in one place. This line show, though, that they do have that option, but here the mother is telling the boy that he shouldn't do that because it is harder than climbing. The way I interpreted that line, was that sometimes its hard to live with the decisions you have made, but that you can always do something about it. You can, and should always aim higher to end up on top.

This poem is one that I find super inspirational. I think that although the idea has become somewhat cliche and cheesy, the poem speaks it in such a honest and true way that it makes it much more easy to relate.

Mother to Son

By Langston Hughes

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now—
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

Cause Love is Bad and Hate is Good.

As I decide where to continue from my reading plan, I have chosen to read several poems this week. One that I chose was Fire and Ice by Robert Frost. The main idea in this poem, is the idea of love verses hate. The author says that he agrees with those who prefer fire first, but then continues to say that if the world had to end a second time ice would be just as great as fire. When translated, he is saying how hate and love are similar and how they can both destroy us.

When I read this poem for the very first time, I didn't know what the author was trying to say when he said ice was just as great as fire. I kept asking myself how love could in any way be bad. Then rereading it this week, I stopped on the line "from what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favor fire". When you desire something, you really want it, because it is something you don't already have. Sometimes when we want something, we don't stop to consider the affects of our actions and we just go for what we want. That is just as bad as being mean when it hurts others, and is sometimes worse because we usually do it for ourselves, making us selfish.

The second half of the poem has always been my favorite part. The author puts the idea of hatred into a positive perspective. It made me think if hate could be good, just as love could be bad. When hate exists in an environment, it is natural to think to bring it down. Having hate exist, however, can help drive people to stand up to it. In the sentence "to say that for destruction ice, is also great" shows how the poem focuses on the destruction from ice, but I this poem helped me see that although, yes, it can be destructive it can also help in such a good way.

Something I have always loved from this poem, and that I had never thought of until this moment, is the deeper meaning that it gives. It almost says how you can choose how you want to end your life, emotionally. In fire or in ice, in love or in hate. Normally you would think love would be the best way, but this poem shows how it might not always be.

Fire and Ice

By Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Why She Does the Things She Does

Lush by Natasha Friend, I would normally criticize the choices she made, and how she would deal with things the way she did, but soon I found myself with a question. Why does Sam do the things she does, even if they aren’t the best ones? Then I noticed that, that was one of the best aspects of the book, how relatable Sam is because she doesn’t do things perfectly.

When Sam’s parents start driving her insane she looks for help by leaving a note in the library for a girl named Juliet, describing her situation and asking for advice. I wondered why she chose to do this instead of talking to her friends or an adult and then I could understand her and relate. She describes in the book how when she is with her friends she “mostly forgets”, and how it’s better for her not to think about it. I know what it is like to need distractions from what you have to deal with. I always love to be around my friends because when I am with them it is like I am in a different world.

It is really interesting to me because the way she deals with her problems frustrate me, but at the same time I can’t exactly blame her. I wish she would just be honest with her dad, mom, and friends. I think that was what was really important about the notes. She was totally honest with A.J.K. but had no idea who he was. Then in the end she was able to be herself with everyone. It took her a while to get to that point because of the other choices she made, but she still got there.

I think what makes Sam a memorable character is how realistically she deals with her problems. Maybe the way she does it isn’t exactly the best way, but at the time it is what she thinks is best for her. I can also relate to her on this level because I deal with my problems in the same way. I don’t talk to people about it, and Sam inspires me to talk more and express my thoughts.