Excerpt from Richard Cory Edward Arlington Robinson Whenever Richard Cory went down town, We people on the pavement looked at hi
m: He was a gentleman from sole to crown, Clean favored, and imperially slim. And he was always quietly arrayed, 5 And he was always human when he talked; But still he fluttered pulses when he said, "Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked. And he was rich, -- yes, richer than a king, -- And admirably schooled in every grace: 10 In fine, we thought that he was everything, To make us wish that we were in his place. So on we worked, and waited for the light, And went without the meat, and cursed the bread; And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, 15 Went home and put a bullet through his head. Which of these BEST expresses the theme of this passage? A) Greed and pride are evils which can destroy anyone. B) Suffering is unavoidable and should simply be accepted. C) Things in life and with people are often not as they seem. D) Suffering is a drain on an individual's spirit and should be avoided as much as possible.
