Final answer:
The poems on the walls of Angel Island were hard to see because the walls were damaged and eroded. The correct answer is option d.
Step-by-step explanation:
The poems inscribed on the walls of Angel Island were hard to see primarily because the walls were damaged and eroded over time. These inscriptions, reflective of the emotions and thoughts of immigrants detained at Angel Island, have become faint due to the natural wear and tear of the structure.
Factors such as poor lighting could have exacerbated the difficulty in seeing the poems, but the primary reason for their current state is the physical degradation of the walls. Scholars and historians have had to painstakingly analyze these inscriptions to understand and translate them, providing a window into the past experiences of these individuals.
The Angel Island inscriptions are an essential part of Asian-American and immigration history, underscoring the complex and often challenging experiences of those who arrived in the United States through this West Coast immigration station. The act of writing on walls has been a common mode of expression throughout history, from prehistoric cave drawings to poetic verses that helped form social bonds in East Asia. Although the Angel Island inscriptions are damaged, their existence continues to convey the powerful stories of those who inscribed them.