Comparison and contrast of "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes and "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost

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Lessons In Life

When comparing "Mother To Son" with "Mending Wall" the message given is that with hard work, either manual or emotional life gives rewards.

In "Mother To Son" the mother wants to pass her knowledge of life to him, that nothing is free and with hard work you will receive the feeling of accomplishments. The mother speaks of her hardships in life, but even with those she has always had hope. Even during the darkest times in her life she never gave up.

What greater gift can a mother pass on to her child? The gifts than come from the heart are the greatest. She is trying to let him know that even though she has been climbing all her life she will not give up.

Even though the story of "Mending Wall" focusing on the hard labor that comes once a year to neighbors repairing a common wall between their properties they also share good times together.

"Good fences make good neighbor's". (page 1881)

The neighbor's speak of hunter's that have passed during the year. Their walk of the wall gives each neighbor a time to share and reflect on the past years events' with each other.

Both stories differ in their style, "Mother To Son" gives a hidden approach to life. She is trying to give him subtle hits of what the road of life offers. "Mending Wall" gives a direct approach, it's a conversation between neighbors that happens once a year, once it happens they go back to the way they were.

Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, James Langston Hughes was a member of an abolitionist family. His first published poem was also one of his most famous, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", and it appeared in Brownie's Book. Later, his poems, short...