In "Mother to Son," why does Langston Hughes include lines about a staircase with "tacks in it," "splinters," and boards that have been "torn up"? A. to prove that the speaker is thinking more about herself than about her son B. to represent the hardships and dangers faced by the speaker C. to suggest that the speaker may not be totally reliable D. to describe the setting in which the conversation between the speaker and her son takes place