Analysis of Theme through Evidence in Prose

Read the following excerpt from an 18th-century novel. After reading, analyze how the author uses evidence to develop a central theme in the excerpt. Consider characters, setting, or narrative style and how these elements contribute to the overall meaning. Your response should provide specific examples and quotes from the text to support your analysis.

Excerpt: 'As I wandered through the unfamiliar streets, the shadows cast by the flickering lanterns seemed to echo my own uncertainties. Every visage I encountered wore a mask of indifference, as though the city itself conspired to isolate me further—an invisible barrier I could not breach. Yet, in these moments of solitude, I found a strange clarity, as if the very disconnection I feared was a path to understanding.'