ADVICE ON FALLING

Last semester, we read the poem "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes. I have placed it below this post, in case you have forgotten it. My question to you is this: How does this poem relate to the novel A Lesson Before Dying? Who is the voice of the mother in the novel? Who is the son? Is there more than one mother or son? Explain. (This post closes at midnight on July 20th.)

Well, son, I'll tell you:

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

It's had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor

--Bare.

But all the timeI'se been a-climbin' on,

And reachin' landin's,

And turnin' corners,

And sometimes goin' in the dark

Where there ain't been no light.

So boy, don't you turn back.

Don't you set down on the steps

'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.

Don't you fall now --

For I'se still goin', honey,

I'se still climbin',

And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.