Question

How do the last two lines of the poem reveal the difference between the speaker's perception of Richard Cory and Richard Cory's own feelings about himself?

a) Richard Cory was happy with himself but the speaker didn't like him.
b) Richard Cory was happy with himself, but the speakers are not happy with their identities.
c) The speaker was glad that Richard Cory was as unhappy as the rest of the people in the town.
d) The speaker thought Richard Cory was happy because he had everything the speaker wanted, but Cory was actually unhappy.

Answer 1

The speaker thought Richard Cory was happy due to his wealth and stature, but the poem's ending reveals Cory was actually unhappy, highlighting the disparity between external appearances and internal realities.

Step-by-step explanation:

The last two lines of the poem "Richard Cory" reveal a significant difference between the perception of the speaker and the internal feelings of Richard Cory. The speaker and the townspeople envied Richard Cory because they thought he had everything one could desire and appeared happy based on his wealth and social standing. However, Richard Cory's act of taking his own life suggests that he was deeply unhappy and troubled, a stark contrast to the speaker's assumptions. This poignant ending encapsulates the theme that external appearances can be deceiving and that wealth and status do not guarantee inner happiness or fulfillment.