Wear the Mask (Unit 4: Living the Dream)

Ms. Price

ENG 3

uNIT 4: LIVING THE DREAM

22-23

We wear the mask

by: PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

Learning Goals

What are you expected to be able to perform?

• Students should be able to connect the essential question," What does home mean to you?" and relate it to text citing textual evidence.

• Use the TPCASTT method to analyze the figurative language of the poem.

• Identify the central theme of the poem, "We Wear the Mask".

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Select

What are you expected to know by the end of the lesson?

• How to connect the essential question," What does home mean to you?" and relate it to text citing textual evidence.

• How to analyze the figurative language of the poem using the TPCASTT Method.

• Identify the central theme of the poem, "We Wear the Mask".

• Nothing. We just need to read the text and answer questions.

Open Ended

Answer the following Essential Question:

What does home mean to you? (2 sentences minimum.)

Unit 4: TPCASTT -We Wear the Mask

• Use this document to make notes as you read the story.

• The next slide will have audio that allows you to listen to the poem.

​

Directions: Click down below to open TPCASTT Document

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906):

• a published author, a renowned poet, and a young man with the highest of aspirations.

• He was one of the first internationally recognized African American poets.

Before you read...

• His writing was a voice for African Americans who had suffered prejudice, and the injustices of slavery, segregation, and racism prior to the turn of the 20th century.

• Dunbar’s poetry, with its emphasis on the African American experience, influenced other black writers, intellectuals, musicians, and artists to express themselves for themselves, not for white audiences.

Themes in Writing

Dropdown

​ Paul Laurence Dunbar's poetry was a voice for ​ ​

Select answer

Americans who had suffered ​

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, and the injustices of ​

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, ​

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, and​

Select answer

.

Open Ended

After reading the background of Dubar's origin and based on the title "We Wear the Mask", what can you infer the story is about?

Is the mask in the title literal or figurative? (2-3 sentences minimum).

1. We wear the mask that grins and lies,

2.  It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

3.  This debt we pay to human guile;

4.  With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

5. And mouth with myriad subtleties.

6. Why should the world be over-wise,

7. In counting all our tears and sighs?

8. Nay, let them only see us, while

9. We wear the mask.

10. We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

11. To thee from tortured souls arise.

12. We sing, but oh the clay is vile

13. Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

14. But let the world dream otherwise,

15. We wear the mask!

​

Directions: Conduct your first read-along as the video plays.

Multiple Choice

Define the term "guile" as used in the stanza below:

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

 It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

 This debt we pay to human guile;

 With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

• sly or cunning intelligence.

• happiness

• sense of fulfillment

• candor or truthfulness

Multiple Choice

Define the term "myriad" as used in the stanza below:

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

 It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

 This debt we pay to human guile;

 With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

• a countless or extremely great number

• limited or countable

• measurable

• bounded

Multiple Choice

Define the term "tortured" as used in the stanza below:

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

• inflict severe pain or suffering on

• alleviation or happiness

• contentment

• comfort

Multiple Choice

Define the term "vile" as used in the stanza below:

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

• extremely unpleasant

• pleasurable

• virtuous

• highly desired

Match

Match the following terms

• guile

• vile

• tortured

• myriad

deceit

wicked

tormented

infinite

• deceit

• wicked

• tormented

• infinite

1. We wear the mask that grins and lies,

2.  It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

3.  This debt we pay to human guile;

4.  With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

5. And mouth with myriad subtleties.

6. Why should the world be over-wise,

7. In counting all our tears and sighs?

8. Nay, let them only see us, while

9. We wear the mask.

10. We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

11. To thee from tortured souls arise.

12. We sing, but oh the clay is vile

13. Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

14. But let the world dream otherwise,

15. We wear the mask!

​

Directions: Conduct the second read- along to answer questions after this slide.

Open Ended

Academic Paragraph: Using your text, summarize the poem based on the author's attitude when wearing the "mask".

Who is he talking about when he says, "we" and "them"?

Does the author seem to feel at "home" in his skin, why or why not?

Use evidence from the text to support your response. (4-5 sentences minimum for Standard; 6-8 sentences minimum for Honors).