Read the poem "Crowned" by Amy Lowell and then answer the question that follows.

You came to me bearing bright roses,
Red like the wine of your heart;
You twisted them into a garland
To set me aside from the mart.
Red roses to crown me your lover,
And I walked aureoled and apart.

Enslaved and encircled, I bore it,
Proud token of my gift to you.
The petals waned paler, and shriveled,
And dropped; and the thorns started through.
Bitter thorns proclaim me your lover,
A diadem woven with rue.

If the roses symbolize the love that the speaker's partner has for her, what do the thorns symbolize?

A) the ongoing strength of the relationship
B) overcoming struggles in a relationship
C) the negative parts of the relationship
D) their love fading