Hi Class!
Choose one of the poems listed below. Then, post your thoughts on that poem in relation to ALBD. This requires serious thought and analysis. Make comparisons, make inferences, draw conclusions, decode symbols, and take this seriously. The best analysis (as voted on by your peers) will win the blogging trophy. Good luck!
If We Must Die by Claude McKay
Mother to Son by Langston Hughes
Various Poems by Wili Otee
If We Must Die by Claude Mckay relates to Jefferson's struggle to become a man before he dies and how his godmother wants him to die with dignity and not like a hog. It pretty much sums up the book. It perfect how it even talks about hogs.
ReplyDeleteJefferson5
If we must die- I chose the first poem and i think its talking about how jefferson needs to become a man and not a hog and i think by the end of the book he will die as a man and not a hog.
ReplyDeletegleek101
The poem "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay, is very similar to ALBD because nobody wants Jeffereson to die like a hog. They want Jefferson to walk up to the chair and die like the man he really is. The poem talks about how it would be a waste to die in vain. If Jefferson was to die like a hog then it would be a waste. His community is looking up to him like he is their savior. Jefferson can only carry the weight of his community if he is taught how to be a man. The poem also talks about dying like a man is also a way as fighting back. If Jefferson dies as a man then he will be fighting back for his community against the unjustice and discrimination of the white authorities.
ReplyDeletekdog420
Mother to Son relation to A Lesson Before Dying:
ReplyDeleteI believe this poem truly represents the main point A Lesson Before Dying is trying to convey to its audience. The theme of running being the only way to figuratively stay alive in the postbellum south for Grant is represented very well by Langston Hughes in this poem, Grant learns throughout the story, mainly in the end from Jefferson's heroism, that he can't just run away from his current responsibilites just to make the conditions of his own life better which is exemplified by the poem, "Don't you set down on the steps.'Cause you finds it's kinder hard. Don't you fall now—"
Also, the lines that read, "For I'se still goin', honey, I'se still climbin', And life for me ain't been no crystal stair." convey the difficulties Grant's peers have faced, such as Rev. Ambrose, Miss Emma, and his Aunt, and show his moral obligations to them, he owes it to them to break the vicious cycle of African Americans being regarded as inferior to whites by standing up to the obstacles they present. Basically, the poem is showing that the characters can not just give up on their goals, they have responsibilities to their other people in their life, finally, I believe the title Mother to Son reflects the relationship between Miss Emma and Jefferson as well as between Grant and his Aunt.
- SMSdoherty
Mother to Son by Langston Hughes
ReplyDeleteThis poem compares to the lives of the African Americans during this time period. Life's been hard for them and they haven't enjoyed the same lifestyle as the white people. The white people have enjoyed the crystal stairs and the African Americans got the stairs with the tacks and splinters in them. The whole seperate but equal isn't really equal and the bareness and places with no carpet are the refrences to the facilities that the African Americans had to endure. Yet even through these hardships they kept their head up and kept walkin up the stairs even at times when there was no light. But now Jefferson is that light and his people can't afford for him to sit down or to turn back. The african american community needs Jefferson to follow through because they're still goin and climbin. Nothing in life has been given to them and nothing has been easy, but Jefferson has a chance to make the long hard walk up those stairs worth while.
-M.C. Jackhammer
Mother To Son
ReplyDeleteAnylyzed by Chiefsfan
"Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair"
In the first two lines of the poem, the poet is explaining to his son, that life isn't fair, its not always pleasant like crystal, nor can you rest on it like a chair.
"It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare."
In this part hes saying that life has consisted of one obsticle after another, i can go on explaining to you what the obsticles he is symbolizing are but i do not find it nesessary during this place and time.
"But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,"
The poet is saying that no matter what obsticle she has come accros in her life, shes always moved on.
"And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light."
The poet goes on to explain to her son that she has reached many places in her life, physicaly but also emotionally, and she has also been in complete darkess, wich might symbolize depression.
"So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard."
In this part she tells the boy to not give up on life and not to back down when you find the steps of life hard to climb.
"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."
She justifies what she told him about nto giving up on life by reassuring the boy that shes still moving on and she is still going and that her life hasnt been easy for her either.
mother to son,
ReplyDeletei think that this poem is about how the life of a mom is tough. it shows how much a mother loves her son and only wants the best for him. i also think that it tell how many luxories of life are sacrificed for a baby boy.
- XTC
Gail by Wili Otee,
ReplyDeleteI chose this because it shows the relationship between Grant and Vivian. I think Vivian does alot for Grant, and he just takes her for granted. He is really selfish and childish. I think he loves her, and he might tell her, but he never means it from the bottem of his heart.
-superman23
If we must die.
ReplyDeletethis poem ralates to ALBD because it talks about dying like a man and not a hog. grant has taught Jeferson to die like a man because thats what he is. if Grant had not been there to help Jefferson then he would just die as a hog and not a man. its very important for Jefferson to realize he's a man because he is and yes he did commit a wrong doing but not as a criminal but as an inexperienced adult. Jefferson is not a hog beacuase if he was no one would be there for him and everyone is and always will be there for him.
the peom talks about not dying in vain and Jefferson cannot die in vain because of why he did what he did.
the peom also talks about fighting back which is important and is what Jefferson is doing because he IS a man. its about fighting back even though theres no chance of winning. one thing me and Jefferson have in common is that we will both go down standing up, like a man, not a hog. Jefferson will always be a man in my book nomatter what anyone says.
AWWW YEAHHH productions
Mother to Son, by Langston Hughes, is a phenominal poem.
ReplyDelete"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."
Life isnt fair. The journey is rough and tears people apart. It's never easy to accomplish something....
"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."
...but it is so much easier to give up and turn back. People say they are going to do something like doing their homework or plan a trip or activity, or get a job and work hard, but so many times their accomplishments don't happen because the road to their accomplishments aren't as easy as they hope for and turn back not even half way there. You need to push yourself and never give up no matter how tough the journey is. You need to buckle down and climb that stair to accomplish your task like Jefferson needing to carry the burden of his people to that electric chair while holding his head up. Grant needs to climb this stair to also help Jefferson carry out what he needs to do. This poem is fantastic
~WhoSaidThat
Various Poems by Wili Otee:
ReplyDeleteI think that these poems relate to how Jefferson feels while he sits in his sell. He talks a lot about someone laying on a bed of concrete in the first few poems. Most times when someone goes to visit Jefferson he is laying on his bed looking at the wall or ceiling. Also in the first poem it says "I wish I were stupid, if I were stupid I would follow orders blindly, I could believe un questionably,... I would not read..." I think this shows a lot of how Jefferson feels. They call him a Hog and that he's stupid and it has made Jefferson believe it. Many of these poems also talk about how someone want to be loved and Jefferson really wants to feel loved too. For example in Macadamized it talks a lot about having the desire to be loved and how they're writing sad words on unpainted words. I think these poems express feelings very similar to Jefferson's.
~soccer-909
If We Must Die by Claude McKay
ReplyDeletedie like a man not like hog. Fight back to prove that there not better then everyone else. show your honor and show you are a hero by dieing like a man not like a hog. don't let them tear you down. Die as man.
wild4635
If We Must Die- The comparison from people to hogs in the poem is exactly like ALBD. The poem states that you must fight back against anyone who thinks you are a hog and prove them wrong. You must die nobly in order for your race to not be mocked. If you do not take the responseiblity to die honorably then you are letting the whole community down by not facing the foe that has to be fought in order for future generations to not be oppresed. This is true with ALBD because if Jefferson does not die like a man that proves that everyone in that is like Jefferson in the community that they are also hogs just waiting to die. In order for future generations to succeed someone must suffer and in ALBD it is Jefferson that has to suffer for his people to have a better future. In the poem everyone must band together in order to defeat the common enemy. The community all must help Jefferson in order to prove that he is a man and so is everyone else in the community. The white people will loose if Jefferson succeeds.
ReplyDelete-smsXCrocks
I read If We Must die. Its much like the way Miss Emma thinks how Jefferson should die. she wants jefferson to die with dignity and love. it also shows jefferson wants to die with honor and not like a hog. jefferson is not going to die without a fight to become a man or hero. someone shouldn't die as nothing. They should die being something to someone.
ReplyDelete-Tuelives
I chose the poem "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay. This poem really relates to the novel because Jefferson does see himself as a hog and so do the whites. In this poem it talked about how you should die in honor of whatever the situation is. In Jefferson's case, he needs to die a hero and not as a coward because he is in prison for a crime that he did not commit. It makes a difference to the people around him especailly blacks because it shows that he is brave for dying even though he is innocent. In my opinion i believe that Jefferson will die a hero because he faced something so strong and he had to deal with it.
ReplyDeletePeachwaveChick
The Poem that stood out to me was Mother to Son.I feel like it was Miss Emma talking to Jefferson and telling him to stand strong even if he's about to die. She says,
ReplyDelete" 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."
She's tells him all the struggles she's been through in life and even though there were ups and downs, she still proceeded and never gave up. Life can go down hill and sometimes you wonder why bad things happen to you but you have no control over that. All you can do is accept your defeats with your head up not with the fear of a child or a hog, but with the bravery and grace of a man!!
--Prettygurl 94
"There are Durations"(various poems by Wili Otee).this poem relates to jefferson in many ways. the poem states: "when i lay back, inside this concrete, and stare into the single light bulb, which was the only thing living in the room".this can have many things to do with ALBD. this relates to jefferson, laying in his cell, on his very small cott. staring at the single light bulb it has. im sure jefferson sees it as the only thing in the cell living, considering his self esteem is so low and he thinks of himself as a hog. the poem also states: "i wish that i were stupid, and if i were stupid, i would follow orders blindly, i would believe unquestionably and i would be normal". this is jefferson thinking, i wish i hadnt gonw to the store that day, and taken the money out of the register. he wishes he had followed all the rules, and wishishing he were normal, or white. so that he would have gotten a fair trial, and people could have seen the he really was innocent. becuase if he were normal, he would not be in jail or scentenced to death.
ReplyDelete-SmsDrumMajor-
I read If We Must Die. I choose this poem because of a simple reason, i think its talking about how Jefferson becoming a man and need's too stop looking at his self as a hog. And if he keeps acting like he is now he'll die as a hog and not a man.
ReplyDelete-leandrew
i chose"if we must die" its related on how jefferson is supposed to die like a man and not like the hog "white" people say he is.the quote "Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,
ReplyDeletePressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!" says how jefferson is supposed to face all his fear and die with dignity like the reverend,his nanna and grant want him to.he is supposed to be a hero for the black community. ALWAYZ FAITHFUL
Dont cry states that "to aquiese the sentence is to aquies the crime" Jefferson saw that his sentence was unfair but he gave in to the crime because he knew that no matter what he said or what he did he would be wrong and gotten him in more trouble. The poem Dont Cry also says that there is a reason that he is alive like how miss Emma says that Jefferson and Grant are going through all of this for a reason that will benifit more than just their little town."im sitting here reminding myself there is a reason that im alive, then why am i sitting" Jefferson is sitting in his cell wondering why this is happening to him then with help of others he realizes that this is his cross to take up thats why hes sitting its not his time just yet because someone else is learning frome this. Why are we sitting?
ReplyDelete-brockafrock
I chose 'unfinished poet' as my poem from "Various Poems" by Wili Otee. The start of the poem states that "We don't love each other so we wed God make him our go between our screen" which I feel connects to the story. The Blacks and Whites do not get along, loving each other, so both are wedded to God, especially the blacks. God is the protection for blacks from white abuse, and the whites use it because they are 'essentially better' (which is untrue). Next in the poem is "(my mask hurts God)God it hurts!" This can be related to Jefferson who is about to die because of his mask (a.k.a. color of skin)and that Jefferson is going to be hurt (a.k.a. die). Next in the poem is "I have feelings real and poignant alive and human feelings" This could be used to describe Jefferson in jail, he does not understand why he is there, like his feelings don't matter because he is a hog. This also could refer to their race at the time, full of feelings that are ignored by whites, feelings whites down care about that blacks have. The poem ends with "I don't want special favor just love unpretentious unenameled unprogrammed & unfinished." This sentence means alot. The connection to the book could be how everybody just wants love (like Vivian, Jefferson, Grant, the Reverend) they just want love and respect, just pure love is all the want. If Jefferson could die a man he would die out of pure love for his people, which would in turn be unfinished love because the love would be continued throughout the people, and carried from person to place for utmost respect.
ReplyDeleteRaiders Rock
macadamized
ReplyDeleteJefferson wants to be loved, he never had much in his life and he doesn't know if he is being selfish by wanting to feel loved, touched or have someone care about what he thinks. He is not sure about God or heaven, he has no idea what is going to happen when he dies, and has such a huge burden upon him. He just wants some hope. When he goes to sleep he dreams about his death but always wakes up and doesn't know what will happen after. He wants something to believe in before he goes. He doesn't need anyone to apologize to him. He was sentenced to death by white people who are ignoble and immature because they did not even try to understand the situation, their minds were already made up before it even started. Now he is just trying to do what he needs to do but he wants something to believe in before he dies. He writes in the notebook and lays in his cell just endlessly thinking and trying to find a reason why. He wants to find God and be saved, but he feels like God only caters to white folks. He wonders if he is being selfish by wanting to have something to hold on to, something to make him feel a little better and not so scared.
~upsdeliveryguy
Le'shawn
ReplyDelete- 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 -
I chose this poem Because , she trying to tell him that even after all the battles that has come her way she still stands tall and gets through her problems and she never gave up on herself. And, shes telling him to never give up just keep fighting your way through it, Cause life aint been fair for her either.