What is the primary theme connected to the New Colossus poem?

• A. Industrial progress
• B. War and peace
• C. Religious freedom
• D. Welcoming immigrants

Answer: (D)

The central idea is that the New Colossus presents the Statue of Liberty as a welcoming refuge for those seeking a new life in America. Emma Lazarus calls the statue a “Mother of Exiles” and invites the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to breathe free to come toward the “golden door.” That imagery and language emphasize hospitality and opportunity for immigrants, making welcoming newcomers the defining theme. The poem was written to help raise funds for the statue’s pedestal and reframes the statue as a symbol of asylum as much as liberty. Because of this focus, the work is about welcoming immigrants rather than industrial progress, war and peace, or religious freedom.