The title of the poem sets the stage of a mother getting ready to give her son advice. Hughes is known for his refusal to separate his personal experiences with the common experiences of Black America. Hughes’ background and familiarity with the biblical "Jacob’s Ladder" (Genesis, Chapter 28) and its ties to the struggle and freedom for Blacks in America, creates the backdrop

The poem uses the stairway metaphor as a means to be inspirational as well as a warning to the future to continue, that which is started, and “we shall overcome”. The final line “And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair”, a repeat of the second line, reinforces the notion that her life has not been of wealth and luxury, but of struggle and difficulty; which over time she has endured and in many ways overcome (line 20). The warning is not to give up the fight or all will be lost. Despite the description of the stairs and the painful climb of the mother, Hughes leaves the reader with optimism and hope conveying that goals and dreams are possible.

The final six lines of the poem signals the lesson provided by the mother’s climb up the stairway of life; this wisdom and conclusion to the argument comes in the form of three admonishments. “So boy, don’t you turn back” means don’t give up; don’t run away from those things in life that cause you anguish (line 14). “Don’t you set down on the steps / ‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard” is a warning not to stand or sit in one place very long or if may be difficult, if not impossible to start to climbing again (lines 15-16). Much like a hiker or marathon runner, once you stop moving, you lose momentum and the ability to return is nearly impossible. It also means if you fail to keep moving, all the progress made by the mother will be lost and a setback for all African Americans. “Don’t you fall-now -- / For I’se still goin’, honey, / I’se still climbin’” are the final hopes and inspiration of the mother, giving the advice to be strong (line 17-19). If she can do it, then there is no reason to give up, as she is the ultimate example of strength and perseverance. These admonishments provide the motivation and optimism Hughes believes are the cornerstone of the metaphor and subsequent message.

In a short, yet powerful 97 words, in 20 lines, Hughes shows how a climb on a

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