I'd say the correct answer is the second option. Because while he was alive, Poe lived in poverty because he couldn't earn enough writing poems and stories, he also had to get a job as a critic. Only after he died did people start realizing the importance of Poe's work. And King is still alive, and still popular, receiving numerous awards for many of his works.
Answer:
The theme of the story is "trusting family and friends when you need them"
It is easy to identify the theme, since the main character goes through an ordeal when he gets lost; however, relying on a friend lets him find the way out of the situation.
Building long-life relationships is also shown in the story as a virtue, since the character had a shy personality and it was really hard for him to make friends.
