Dusk

Question

by H.H. Munro (Saki)

So Gortsby’s imagination pictured things as he sat on his bench in the almost deserted walk. He was in the mood to count himself among the defeated. Money troubles did not press on him; had he so wished he could have strolled into the thoroughfares of light and noise, and taken his place among the jostling ranks of those who enjoyed prosperity or struggled for it. He had failed in a more subtle ambition, and for the moment he was heartsore and disillusionised, and not disinclined to take a certain cynical pleasure in observing and labeling his fellow wanderers as they went their ways in the dark stretches between the lamp-lights.

On the bench by his side sat an elderly gentleman with a drooping air of defiance that was probably the remaining vestige of self-respect in an individual who had ceased to defy successfully anybody or anything. His clothes could scarcely be called shabby, at least they passed muster in the half-light, but one’s imagination could not have pictured the wearer embarking on the purchase of a half-crown box of chocolates or laying out ninepence on a carnation buttonhole. He belonged unmistakably to that forlorn orchestra to whose piping no one dances; he was one of the world’s lamenters who induce no responsive weeping. As he rose to go Gortsby imagined him returning to a home circle where he was snubbed and of no account, or to some bleak lodging where his ability to pay a weekly bill was the beginning and end of the interest he inspired. His retreating figure vanished slowly into the shadows, and his place on the bench was taken almost immediately by a young man, fairly well dressed but scarcely more cheerful of mien than his predecessor. As if to emphasise the fact that the world went badly with him the newcomer unburdened himself of an angry and very audible expletive as he flung himself into the seat.

"Dusk" by H.H. Munro ("Saki")

Question
Use the excerpt from H. H. Munro’s story “Dusk” to answer the question.

What is the primary theme of the passage?

(1 point)
Responses which answer is correct and why

the importance of community and togetherness
the importance of community and togetherness

the celebration of wealth and success
the celebration of wealth and success

the joy of nighttime activities in urban settings
the joy of nighttime activities in urban settings

the isolation and defeat of individuals in society
the isolation and defeat of individuals in society
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Answer 1

The primary theme of the passage is the isolation and defeat of individuals in society.

This is evident as the character Gortsby reflects on his own feelings of disillusionment and observes the people around him, seeing them as individuals who are struggling and defeated. The descriptions of both the elderly gentleman and the young man emphasize their unhappiness and sense of loss, highlighting the loneliness that many experience despite being in public spaces. The overall mood suggests a contemplation of defeat rather than celebration or community.