The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks - Essay Example

The poet presents various images which in time bring to readers the melancholic feelings of a mother. The very opening of the poem itself is suggestive of the sadness or gloomy atmosphere that pervading all through the poem. The note of sadness is visible when the poet sings; "the singers and workers that never handled the air" (Brooks line 4). The sad mood of the poem is intensified when the poet mentions "you will never wind up the sucking thumb/or scuttle off ghosts that come" (7-8) and “"you were born, you had a body, you died" (28).

All these clearly indicate the way the poet is protesting against suburban ladies who go into the ghetto to give occasional aid or a black mother who has had an abortion (Biography of Gwendolyn Brooks). However, the poet has made use of various poet devices to express her protest effectively. It is common knowledge that poetic devices can certainly influence the poem. This is quite applicable to ‘Mother’ as it is enriched with many poetical devices which really enhance the quality of the poem in various ways.

The poem can also be analyzed in both connotative and denotative levels. The connotative meaning of the poem leads to symbolism where, at the beginning the poem Brook says that the speaker has stayed in the front yard all her life. “Realistically speaking, one cannot stay in a front yard all her life so a front yard must be symbolic for something else” (Price). Therefore, one can infer that the front yard will have many other meanings and it may be suggestive of order, consistency, and the status quo.ns. The reference backyard in the poem is also symbolical as it brings to the readers various perceptions.

Other than the denotative meaning of backyard, according to Tim Price “The backyard is representative of a secluded freedom and individualism” (Price). It also promotes the inference that the back yard will bring the speaker good time. Price says, “It [the back yard] is symbolically a place of African American culture.” Here one gets the clear picture about the use of symbolism which stresses claim that Brooks is a protest poet. The various incidents mentioned in the poem supply many vivid images in this work.

The poet has won in her attempt to make the readers feel strong emotions while reading through this poem. One is haunted with the thoughts of abortion, especially when listening to the words of the poet. Brook mentions, “You were born, you had body, you died” (Brooks Line 28). One gets the imagery of how a mother recollects the