Question

Read the excerpt from "Rhapsody on a Windy Night."

So the hand of a child, automatic,
Slipped out and pocketed a toy that was running along the quay.
I could see nothing behind that child’s eye.
I have seen eyes in the street
Trying to peer through lighted shutters

What theme is reflected in this excerpt?
Young people especially enjoy living in a city.
It is impossible to be left alone in the city.
City life offers many cultural experiences.
City life can be alienating and lonely.

Answer 1

City life can be alienating and lonely.

The lines emphasize emptiness and emotional isolation—“nothing behind that child’s eye” and people “trying to peer through lighted shutters”—suggesting anonymity and loneliness in the urban environment.