In "Torch", Ai Qing mainly describes the female image of Downey, showing the changes in her thoughts and emotions on the night of the torch parade. People had mixed reactions to this poem at the time, some were positive and some were critical. The target of criticism is mostly directed at Downey's love experience in the poem. Among them, Bi Yan's criticism is more eye-catching, and Ai Qing also responded specifically to it. In "Review of Ai Qing's "Torch"", Bi Yan criticized "Torch" for its theme of women's choice between revolution and love. He believed that revolution should be done first and then love, or revolution should be given over love, because love is an obstacle to revolution.
Ai Qing believes that revolution and love can be unified, and insisting on "revolution first and then love" or "revolution before love" is a mechanistic and formal view. When Zhu Ziqing talked about this poem, he said: "This poem describes the torch parade, which is a manifestation of the power of the public. It ends with a love story, which may not be well-proportioned in structure. But it indicates the publicization of private life. The tendency is not formulaic, but it deserves special attention." Zhu Ziqing believes that the writing of love in "Torch" is just right between the private and the public, and affirms the writing of love in "Torch".