Stairs and Ladders
Stairs and ladders provide routes between different heights. They divide an ascent or descent into a series of steps or rungs. A staircase is generally a fixed part of a building, while a ladder may be portable, fixed to a structure or suspended from above.
The language of steps and ladders is used to describe sequence, status and progress. A step can be an action within a process as well as a surface on which someone places a foot. A rung can identify a position within an imagined hierarchy.
Types and Characteristics
- Straight stairs: Connect levels along a direct flight of steps.
- Turning stairs: Change direction, often at a landing.
- Spiral stairs: Wind around a central point, combining changes in height with repeated changes in direction.
- Leaning ladders: Depend on a supporting surface as well as a stable base.
- Stepladders: Open into a supporting shape and can stand without leaning against a wall.
- Rope ladders: Hang from an upper attachment and can move beneath the climber.
- Escalators: Move their steps mechanically, adding the movement of the structure to the movement of its users.
The distance between steps, the presence of handrails and the condition of the supports change the experience of using a route. Reaching the top also raises the question of what can be reached from there.
Literary Examples
In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Act III, Scene II, the Nurse brings the rope ladder intended for Romeo's visit. News of Tybalt's death and Romeo's banishment changes the circumstances in which Juliet receives it. A means of access is present while the relationship and situation around its use have altered. Folger Shakespeare Library: Act III, Scene II
Jack and the Beanstalk supplies a related image of climbing between worlds. In Flora Annie Steel's retelling, Jack returns to the ground and cuts down the beanstalk as the giant follows. The same vertical route permits an adventure, a return and a pursuit. Flora Annie Steel: English Fairy Tales
In Religion
In Genesis 28:10-22, Jacob dreams of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. In the King James Version, movement takes place in both directions. The ladder belongs to an account of divine presence and a promise made to Jacob. Genesis 28:10-22
Idioms
- Climb the ladder: Advance through levels of status or responsibility.
- The bottom rung: The lowest position in a hierarchy.
- A step in the right direction: An action that contributes towards a desired change.
- Take it one step at a time: Attend to successive parts of a process.
- A step backwards: A change that reverses progress.
- Move up a step: Advance to a higher level or position.
- Kick away the ladder: Remove a means of advancement after benefiting from it oneself.
- Watch your step: Be careful about one's actions or behaviour.
Homophones
Stair / stare: A stair is a step within a staircase. To stare is to look steadily or intently.
Storey / story: In British spelling, a storey is a level of a building, while a story is a narrative. The words sound alike.