Question

Read the poem “Hope Is the Thing with Feathers,” by Emily Dickinson.

Hope Is the Thing with Feathers

Hope is the thing with feathers,
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
and never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard,
and sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land
and on the strangest sea,
Yet, never in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

What is the theme of this poem?

Hope does not give up, even when life is difficult.

Spring is a hopeful season.

People hope for things that do not come true.

Without hope, people are not human.

Answer 1

The correct answer is A. Hope does not give up, even when life is difficult.

Step-by-step explanation:

In poems and other literary texts, the theme is the underlying idea or belief the author conveys. In the case of the poem "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" this poem's underlying idea or message is that hope always remains or that hope does not give up, even when life is difficult. This is supported through all the poem, for example, the poet explains Hope "sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all" that shows there is always hope; also in "I’ve heard it in the chillest land and on the strangest sea" that explains Hope compared to a bird is always present even in extreme situation or even when life is difficult.

Answer 2

Hope does not give up, even when life is difficult.

Step-by-step explanation:

Emily Dickinson's poem "Hope Is The Thing With Feathers" is a clever imagery of the feeling of hope that has never been personalized by any writer in the way she has done. And for Emily, 'hope' is a feeling that is a "thing with feathers", indirectly identifying it to a bird. This poem is a poem of positivity that never gives up no matter what the situation is. The use of the words like "never stops at all," "never in extremity, It asked a crumb of me." depicts the selfless action of hope in sustaining man and encouraging him to continue no matter how hard the circumstances may be. In short, the theme of the poem is that hope does not give up, even when life is difficult.