Paul Dunbar's 'We Wear The Mask'

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People disguise their feelings for various reasons; they tell small white lies to protect another's emotions or display false motivation to boost morale. Leaders, for example, may wish to spare their subordinates from undue stress because of the harmful effects and contagious spread of negative atmospheres. In extreme circumstances, false faces might even be used as a survival tactic to protect oneself from toxic authority. Dunbar never specifically mentions the source of distress in “We Wear the Mask,” but his establishment of a collective voice draws the audience into the poem and gives it enduring relevance. "We Wear the Mask" is a timeless and universal composition that applies to various human struggles.
Paul Dunbar’s “We Wear the Mask” illuminates people's ability to use deceit as a protective measure while experiencing extreme suffering. The mask symbolizes the outward display of calm and collected attitudes in relation to true internal torment. He presents the “debt we pay” (3) because of society's unsympathetic qualities or inability to understand other's burdens. Dubar sarcastically asks the rhetorical question “Why should the world be …show more content…

This creates a powerful effect and a lasting impression. Dunbar specifically uses the term “We” (1) throughout the poem, making the audience included in the group that “hides our cheeks and shades our eyes” (2). Dunbar mentions facial features such as cheeks and eyes because these are the areas of the face show people's emotions; cheeks can show smiles or frowns, and the eyes can fill with tears to show pain. The ability to include the audience in the collective group experiencing the emotional trauma of whatever hardship they may undergo creates a personal attachment to the poem. This personal attachment from various different groups of people ensures its longevity and

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