What is the main idea of the poem?

What is the main idea of the poem?

• A. Death comes to one and all.
• B. The cockroaches symbolize resilience and cleanliness.
• C. Death is a distant concern for the wealthy.
• D. Death is a common theme in poetry about mortality.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that death is a common theme in poetry about mortality. The poem uses death to think about life, meaning, and what it is to be human, showing that writers repeatedly turn to mortality to explore these deeper questions. That broader view—death as a recurring motif across poetry about living and dying—best captures the message of the piece, rather than focusing on a specific symbol or a social condition.

The main idea is that death is a common theme in poetry about mortality. The poem uses death to think about life, meaning, and what it is to be human, showing that writers repeatedly turn to mortality to explore these deeper questions. That broader view—death as a recurring motif across poetry about living and dying—best captures the message of the piece, rather than focusing on a specific symbol or a social condition.