I'm pretty sure it is C. The reasons being that the poem is called "We Wear the Mask". That means that they are showing one thing on the outside, but are saying something different on the inside. Like they are pretending. C makes the most sense because the passage states that they smile on the outside but their souls are crying.
I think the correct answer from the choices listed above is the last option. The mood of a story affects the reader by influencing the <span> reader’s interpretation of events. It would stimulate the reader's mind to think. Hope this answers the question.</span>
