Question
The Prediction
He was sure it wouldn’t go well,
and when they offered him a seat
he said he wouldn’t be there long,
and they said,
well, have a glass of water.
He chewed his lip nervously
and said he wasn’t thirsty.
The numerous terrifying ways
the many terrible things
that could go wrong
distracted him as he got ready,
and he showed up with his jacket
wrinkled. He left his glasses,
and squinted at everyone.
He’d wanted to clip
his fingernails and forgot.
He kept his hands in his pockets.
And when they said,
tell us about yourself,
he thought they knew everything
there was to know
just by looking at him,
and he shrugged and said
not much, et cetera, so on. . . .
His palms were full of sweat
in his pockets and the one hand
he shook felt like a fish.
He tried smiling,
and looked curiously
disappointed.
Eventually, people
stopped coming over
to talk
and he hung out
by the punch, tapping
the table.
His mood darkened, and
he felt dismissed. He felt
like all the eyes in the room
danced around him.
Then he remembered
that he was sure
it wouldn’t go well.
He congratulated himself
bitterly, and left.
Which themes are presented in the poem "The Prediction"?
It is hard to judge people’s impressions, and it is challenging to exceed your own expectations.
It is hard to try new things, and it is challenging to share personal information with strangers.
It is hard to decide the right thing to wear in public, and it is challenging to say no to temptation.
It is hard to leave your friends behind, and it is challenging to forget the mistakes you have made.
He was sure it wouldn’t go well,
and when they offered him a seat
he said he wouldn’t be there long,
and they said,
well, have a glass of water.
He chewed his lip nervously
and said he wasn’t thirsty.
The numerous terrifying ways
the many terrible things
that could go wrong
distracted him as he got ready,
and he showed up with his jacket
wrinkled. He left his glasses,
and squinted at everyone.
He’d wanted to clip
his fingernails and forgot.
He kept his hands in his pockets.
And when they said,
tell us about yourself,
he thought they knew everything
there was to know
just by looking at him,
and he shrugged and said
not much, et cetera, so on. . . .
His palms were full of sweat
in his pockets and the one hand
he shook felt like a fish.
He tried smiling,
and looked curiously
disappointed.
Eventually, people
stopped coming over
to talk
and he hung out
by the punch, tapping
the table.
His mood darkened, and
he felt dismissed. He felt
like all the eyes in the room
danced around him.
Then he remembered
that he was sure
it wouldn’t go well.
He congratulated himself
bitterly, and left.
Which themes are presented in the poem "The Prediction"?
It is hard to judge people’s impressions, and it is challenging to exceed your own expectations.
It is hard to try new things, and it is challenging to share personal information with strangers.
It is hard to decide the right thing to wear in public, and it is challenging to say no to temptation.
It is hard to leave your friends behind, and it is challenging to forget the mistakes you have made.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The primary themes presented in the poem "The Prediction" revolve around social anxiety, self-doubt, and the difficulty of making connections with others. The protagonist's expectation of failure and the feeling of being judged by others contribute to a sense of isolation and disappointment.
From the options provided, the most fitting theme would be:
**It is hard to try new things, and it is challenging to share personal information with strangers.**
This option emphasizes the protagonist's struggle with social interactions, the anxiety surrounding new experiences (like attending a gathering), and the difficulty in being open about oneself in an unfamiliar environment.
From the options provided, the most fitting theme would be:
**It is hard to try new things, and it is challenging to share personal information with strangers.**
This option emphasizes the protagonist's struggle with social interactions, the anxiety surrounding new experiences (like attending a gathering), and the difficulty in being open about oneself in an unfamiliar environment.