PLEASE HELP I DON'T GET THIS!!! AND IT'S DUE TONIGHT
Well, son, Iâll tell you:
Life for me ainât been no crystal stair.
Itâs had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor â
Bare.
But all the time
Iâse been a-climbinâ on,
And reachinâ landinâs,
And turninâ corners,
And sometimes goinâ in the dark
Where there ainât been no light.
So boy, donât you turn back.
Donât you set down on the steps
âCause you finds itâs kinder hard.
Donât you fall now â
For Iâse still goinâ, honey,
Iâse still climbinâ,
And life for me ainât been no crystal stair.
1. In the poem, who is speaking to whom, and about what?
A. A mother is telling a story to her child about her own childhood.
B. A mother is speaking to her son about climbing a crystal staircase.
C. A son is recounting a conversation his mother had with him about the general struggle towards earning a comfortable living.
D. A mother is warning her son about the difficulties of life and the struggle to persevere.
2. What is the central metaphor utilized in the poem?
A. The narrator describes a laborious climb up a decrepit staircase, a figurative depiction of her ongoing struggles in life.
B. The narrator compares a crystal staircase to her own life, symbolic of her own goals and the struggle towards them.
C. The narrator describes her ascension up a poorly-kept staircase which transforms into a crystal one, representing her strive to rise above difficulties.
D. The narrator describes herself going down a decrepit staircase, a figurative depiction of her continued problems.
3. PART A: Which of the following statements best describes the theme of the poem?
A. Never forget your family.
B. Persevere when life isn't easy.
C. Hope is the answer to all challenges.
D. Respect your elders.
4. PART B: Which of the following quotes best supports the answer to Part A?
A. âWell, son, Iâll tell you: / Life for me ainât been no crystal stair.â (Lines 1-2)
B. âIâse been a-climbinâ on, / And reachin' landin's, / and turninâ cornersâ (Lines 9-11)
C. âDonât you set down on the steps / âCause you finds itâs kinder hard.â (Lines 15-16)
D. âDonât you fall now â / For Iâse still goinâ, honeyâ (Lines 17-18)