The Theme and My Response to the Poem "We Wear a Mask" by Paul Lawrence Dunbar

Student's Name
Professor's Name
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Date
"WE WEAR A MASK"
Theme
Paul Lawrence Dunbar composed the poem in the 1880s reflecting on the lives of the Black people in South America. The major theme reflected in the poem is society and class. Dunbar wrote in the first person singular "We" depicting a representation of a particular group of people. Despite the end of the slave trade, blacks were still treated as lesser people in both South and North America. There was inequality regarding education, employment and even housing for blacks. The Dunbar choice of the words reflects the atrocities faced by the blacks in the American society. The masking metaphor comes forth to paint a face that the world sees of a people's group that does not reflect the reality. In South America, it was usual for a slave working on a plantation to say that they are satisfied with their masters. However, the slaves would be suffering in their plantations. The Masking covers up the realities such as misery and suffering. Often, the blacks would put up smiling faces to appease their masters. They would not want the world inside to know of their inner self which was hurting. Dunbar was a victim of society and class. As a young black boy, he realized his talent in poetry. However, due to the classification in the society, he could not get an employment opportunity befitting his abilities.
My response to the poem
We wear a mask a poem that was written in the be...