Read the following poem and answer the TWO questions that follow.
In the darkened room
a woman
cannot find her reflection in the mirror
waiting as usual
at the edge of sleep
In her hands she holds
the oil lamp
whose drunken yellow flames
know where her lonely body hides
What do the lines “the drunken yellow flames/know where her lonely body hides” BEST represent?
Option A is the correct answer.
The lines “the drunken yellow flames/know where her lonely body hides” use the oil lamp's “drunken yellow flames” metaphor to symbolize a source of light and warmth in the woman’s solitude. The flames are described as “knowing” where her “lonely body hides”, suggesting they illuminate her in her isolation, making her visible even in her loneliness.
This interpretation aligns with the overall theme of the poem, which revolves around the woman’s feeling of alienation and solitude.
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