Read the following poem and attempt the question :
Harlem
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore -
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over -
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
What is the dominant mood of the poem?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Meditative
Meditative means thoughtful, deeply reflecting on something. The whole poem is a chain of questions about what happens to a hope that is put off; the poet weighs one possibility after another without giving a final answer. This reflective questioning sets the dominant mood.
Example: He sat by the river in a meditative silence.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Joyful — Incorrect. Contradicted: the images of rot, sores and a heavy load are grim; there is nothing joyful in the poem.
Option 3: Exciting — Incorrect. Misread: the poem is not about thrilling events; even the final "explode" is a question, a thought about what might happen.
Option 4: Nostalgic — Incorrect. Wrong time: nostalgic means longing for the happy past; the poem looks at unfulfilled hopes and their future, not at fond memories.
Example: Old photographs always make my grandmother nostalgic.