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Lillian Rudolph

Ms. Cuthbertson

American Literature

February 6th, 2020

We Wear the Mask Meaning:

Paul Dunbar presents a societal critique in a beautifully written, but also extremely tragic

way. Throughout his poem he criticizes the way society will not let a person be who they want to

be or genuinely are and how he and others are forced to put on a mask in different social settings.

This mask not only represents the facade that so many people put on, but also a fear to be who

we truly are in the light of society. Within his poem he briefly talks about how harmful not being

who you truly are is and why being genuine is the best route to happiness.

The mask that Dunbar speaks of represents the act that many people put on. People act

like they are happy at their job even if they are not in order to keep their boss and customers

happy. People act like they aren’t hurt after something rude is said to them in hopes of not

seeming weak. This mask is something everyone knows and everyone has utilized, consciously

or unconsciously. “We wear the mask that grins and lies…”(line 1) is the opening line of

Dunbar's poem and it shows that the mask allows you to lie in a way that doesn’t seem

ingenuine. The mask is still you, but altered slightly to seem more likeable.

While it is true that a mask can help it can also harm, which is Dunbar's problem. This

mask makes it not only so no one else can see pain you may be facing, but it also ensures that

you can’t feel your pain as deeply as you should. The pain you are feeling is being suppressed by

the mask you’ve put on. Feeling the pain and accepting it is a huge part of moving on, but with a
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mask on you won’t be able to feel the pain or accept it. Dunbar says, “With torn and bleeding

hearts we smile…” (line 4). This quote shows the severity of wearing a mask all the time. If the

mask never comes off you can never vent your internal pain externally. It’s only human to cry,

scream, throw things, and then move on from it. Dunbar wants people to take this mask off and

be who they truly are so they do not suppress their feelings and the world is a more genuine

place.