1. The central symbol is a staircase—”crystal” for a smooth and privileged life, and “bare,” dark, and dangerous for the life of struggle that the speaker has experienced.

2. A. The emphasis on absence—especially of something aesthetically pleasing or materially comfortable—suggests that the speaker has experienced deprivation.

3. C. Although the speaker does not gloss over the hardships she has endured, she ultimately focuses on her determination to keep “climbing,” or continuing forward despite the obstacles she encounters.

4. B. Going around a corner represents a break from the past and the possibility of something new. While this change is not necessarily positive, there is always the chance that it will be.

5. She advises him not to turn back, sit down, or fall.