We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar shows the suffering and pain of those who try to hide it. The theme of this poem is one that we can all relate to, the theme of oppression and suffering. He shows that people under oppression who are suffering put on the mask to hide their tears and pain so they won’t get hurt more. The author makes it so the poem brings us within the minds of oppressed people who are not able to show emotion. Using the mask Dunbar shows us the mindset of people who have been through much hardship.
We have experienced suffering and oppression in our lives in some form. For me this theme means constantly putting on different masks to hide your self. You have a different mask to put on for each setting and situation, you put on a mask when you go to school so that people will think that you’re happy and not figure out the trouble you’re having at home. You put on a mask of coolness and humor around your friends in order for them not to make fun of you. Around your teachers you put on the mask of intelligence and politeness. The whole reason we wear theses masks are to prevent us from getting hurt. If we show them who we really are were vulnerable. So instead, we show people what they want to see in hope that they will buy the lie and leave us alone.
When I present my poem I am going to say each line clearly and emesis the last line because that is the line that talks of suffering. I will of course add dynamics while I am talking and make the poem sound sad and mourning.
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