Question

In The Raven, what is most closely the central theme of the passage below?

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore —
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore —
Nameless here for evermore.

a)

The narrator attempts to distract himself from his grief through reading.

b)

The fire throws shadows on the floor that look like ghosts.

c)

Lenore no longer has a name because she is dead.

d)

The events recounted happened in December.

Answer 1

a)

The narrator attempts to distract himself from his grief through reading.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

A.

Step-by-step explanation:

The speaker in this story is mainly describing his narrative action of reading and is commenting on it with respect to Lenore, her death, the time, and the scenery, but the main topic in this excerpt from The Raven by Poe is his real action of reading.

Hope this helps.