We War The Mask Poem

In “We Wear a Mask,” the speaker is speaking about wearing a mask, but not a real mask, just facial emotions that are a lie, “We wear the mask that grins and lies.” This reminds me of the movie, “The Butler,” because Cecil, the butler, has to learn to act as if the room was empty, and he was never to show his emotions or speak his mind. In the movie, there was a time when he was the one who was being served and not the server, but then he could see the mask that they had to wear for the other people to see. That’s why this text reminds me of the Civil Right Movement, because even after the American Civil War had settled the issue of slavery, white Americans still looked down upon African Americans. The blacks were help and butlers, those who took care of white people in their society, but were paid for it, so they couldn’t be called slaves, but because the whites still looked down on African Americans, they didn’t care about their lives or how they felt. It’s things like this that led to the Civil Rights Movement, because things still weren’t fair between whites and blacks. This text just shows the view from the other side, it’s a view from someone who had to please the whites by not being human, by hiding their emotions and anything they

The first stanza introduces and gives life to the “mask” referred to in the title “We Wear the Mask”. In the first line of the poem, the speaker personifies the mask by indicating that it “grins and lies”(line 1). A typical mask might have a grin plastered on it, but lying is a human quality. The second line further describes the duty of the mask. It is said that it “hides our cheeks and shades our eyes” (2). Throughout both lines 1 and 2, the speaker uses consonance in the ending words of each line. The use of consonance brings the two lines together in a more coherent form. With lines 1 and 2 giving the duty of the mask, line 3 gives the reasoning behind the duty; “human guile” (3). The ending two lines of the first stanza do not initially seem to refer to the mask. They have some sound qualities such as alliteration but do not flow well with the rest of the stanza. With deeper analysis, it is apparent that these lines actually are the first to indicate that the mask being referred to in the poem is not real. If the mask were a literal mask then the lines “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,/And mouth with myriad subtleties” would not belong in the poem (4-5). These lines suggest that even though “we” are hurting inside, we give the outward appearance of happiness. This outward appearance hides our true emotions. Therefore, it is the mask, or the mask is a symbol for the covering of our true feelings. With that knowledge, some of the previous lines have more meaning. For example, line 2 mentions the cheeks and eyes. A lot of times human emotion is shown through facial expression. If someone is embarrassed, for example, his or her cheeks will turn red, so in the poem the mask is used to, again, prevent the feelings from showing by covering the cheeks.

DuBois's story "The Veil" shows a concept that is visible on many levels. The veil can be seen as the literal darker skin of the black people, which is an easy way to identitify any race from any other race. This physical trait allows for discrimination solely because it is the easiest thing to point out. The veil also explores the idea of the White's lack of acceptance of Blacks as Americans, let alone "real" Americans. The veil also covers the notion of the Blacks' inability to see themselves outside of what America (White Americans) had described them as.

In the poem, “We Wear the Mask’, the narrator, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, expresses the pain African American experienced during the slave trade and how the slaves learned to suppress their emotions. The poem shows a contrast between African American’s social faces and their “bleeding hearts”. The tone of the poem is not a corrective tone, but rather an explanatory one. In considering the time period, it would make sense that the narrator would be careful about insulting the white community. In the first stanza the tone starts as explanatory in just speaking of the masquerade and state of oppression. Then the last two stanzas are very matter of fact. When the narrator sarcastically states, “Why should the world be otherwise”. Showing

Paul Laurence Dunbar, dispatches the cold troubles of African Americans in the lyrical poem, "We Wear the Mask." In this poem, Dunbar links imagery, rhythm, rhyme, and word choice to in order to institute a connection to the reader. From reading the poem, one can infer that Mr. Dunbar is speaking in general, of the misery that many people keep concealed under a grin that they wear very well. But if one were to go further and take the time to research Mr. Dunbar’s selection of this piece and the era of which this poem was written, one would come to understand that this poem focuses entirely on Paul Laurence Dunbar’s viewpoints on racial prejudice and the struggle for equality for the African-American’s of his time period. Though this

Dunbar and his work were mentioned in major magazines and newspapers. By 1896 Dunbar had published his third collection, but first professionally published volume, Lyrics of Lowly Life. In this volume Dunbar wrote a poem called, “We Wear the Mask.” In the poem, “We Wear the Mask”, lies and deceit, suffering, race, and society and class are used as themes to illustrate the African American life during and before Dunbar’s lifetime. The purpose of this analysis is to explore certain

Many individuals are often alienated from society. One of many causes can be racism. The alienation caused by racism can affect individuals and society. Due to their race, they were discriminated and led to racial inequality. This can all be depicted in “Incident” by Countee Cullen, “ A Black Man Talks of Reaping” by Arna Bontemps, and “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar. In “Incident”, a young African American is called a racial slur because of her physical appearance. Also, “A Black Man Talks of Reaping”, describes how a black man is discriminated and face racial inequality. Lastly, in “We Wear the Mask” shows how blacks had to hide their true identity because they were colored and did not fit in society. In all three text of Cullen, Bontemps, and Dunbar all show how racism can make an individual feel alienated.

The Veil was one of the predominate elements that prevented the Negros from living a life of freedom. This Veil forced the Negro to live a life of sociological understanding of themselves not from the lens of the white society.

In the 1896 symbolic poem “We Wear the Mask,” Paul Laurence Dunbar suggests that people are apathetic to the pain and suffering of others making it easier for one to hide their troubles behind a mask than to confront them. In the beginning, Dunbar uses a spine-chilling tone as he describes the mask while utilizing strange diction to exhibit the deception and protection that the mask symbolizes. Dunbar continues his eerie tone and strange diction as he uses juxtaposition to show that despite the pain people feel the mask they wear gives them a smiling appearance because the world does not care to see people’s hearts in pain. In the middle Dunbar shifts to a sarcastic tone and somber diction as he asserts that the world does not care about the

In his most illustrious poem yet entitled, We Wear the Mask, Dunbar speaks out against the injustice and unconstitutionality of a country founded upon justice and constitutionalism, in which he coped and held the pain of his entire race within a mask that was abstruse to everyone who looked him in his eyes beyond those who were victims of prejudice, racism, discrimination, and the other dealings of the African-American population at the head of 20th century and before. I understand the pain that Dunbar his beneath his mask, but I am in no way capable of hiding under that same mask that he and my ancestors had to wear for their own welfare. However, my interpretation of this poem extends beyond the barriers of racism and other social issues that continue to flood our society on this present day, rather, I am concentrating on the intrapersonal aspects we all as individuals confront and shield from those surrounding

“We Wear the Mask” brings up the question to reader for them to explore. Does the mask in this poem hide or show the matter that Dunbar carries? Using symbolism in a rondeau--fifteen lines, two rhymes, and refrain (repeating lines,) he introduce the readers the unseen world of the people who wear mask to

To begin, a little historical context of the poem is that Dunbar’s poem was first written way before the civil rights movement, but was published in 1896, which was after the civil war. This is a response to the racial norms of the late nineteenth century. Slavery had already ended, but the South and North had a major retaliation against African Americans' rights. African Americans were denied equal opportunities in employment, education, and housing. In the poem, Dunbar said, “And mouth with myriad subtleties” (5). This line relates to the historical context because they were in a period where it would be dangerous for Blacks if they did not use the “subtleties.” This whole line expresses everything Blacks used to address White Americans when speaking to them. Knowing this helps the audience reading the poem understand the symbolism of the Mask and the “We,” which are the Black Americans, that are spoken of in the poem.

The speaker of “We Wear the Mask” talks about people covering their pain and torment by smiling through the pain or hiding their true selves with a “mask”. They question why the world should have to see their tears and sighs. The speaker changes their focus and becomes more emotional, and cries for help for this feeling of being forced to hide. The speaker cries for help by proclaiming, “We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries To thee from tortured souls arise.” (lines 10-11). The repetition of the word “smile” shows that they cover the same emotions up with the mask, which suggests that when they start feeling emotional, they will smile to cover their agony. When the speaker continues with the phrase “O great Christ”, they show that they

The speaker then continues with “We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,” (1-2) which symbolizes how the mask is grinning but the person hiding underneath is not. This image also gives us, as readers, a picture of what the mask is hiding besides the true feelings. “Nay, let them only see us, while…We wear the mask.” (8-9) this is the first moment of enjambment used which makes us, readers, ease slowly into the “we wear the mask” line. This makes that line stand out from the rest of the poem because you ease into it rather than continuously reading, it makes it have more of a meaning. The “them” used in that line could also be referring to the white American’s, although he did not specifically say it was.

Cindy Presendieu Masks I often wonder why we look at mirrors, Whether to find ourselves or conceal a sinister, Deceiving to the eye, but I see it, Flaunting it charismatic charm like the Cheshire cat Mocking your flaws to bare, A nightmare surrounded by your insecurities, Lost in a maze and out of breath,