We Wear the Mask

Directions: Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow.

Paul Laurence Dunbar – “We Wear the Mask”

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 countless subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the ground is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

The people in the poem use a masquerade to

• tell a lie

• disguise their pain

• torture their friends

• pretend to be wise

Why does the author include line 4 in the poem?

• To show how a broken heart can make us smile

• To show how much a torn and bleeding heart can hurt

• To show how a broken heart doesn't really hurt

• To show how our emotions can act as a mask

What is the mood/ tone of this poem?

• Agony

• Happiness

• Anger

• Peace

Directions: Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow. Paul Laurence Dunbar – “We Wear the Mask” 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 countless subtleties. Why should the world be over-wise, In counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while We wear the mask. We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries To thee from tortured souls arise. We sing, but oh the ground is vile Beneath our feet, and long the mile; But let the world dream otherwise, We wear the mask! The mask that the author describes is the best example of what literary device?

• Imagery

• Alliteration

• Symbolism

• Metaphor

What does the mask symbolize in the poem?

• celebration of identity

• deception or hiding one's true self

• fear of the unknown

• protection from illness

The metaphoric mask of the poem is worn

• to cover up wrongdoing

• as a survival strategy.

• to exceed the limits of society

• as a symbol of duplicity.

Which of the following best describes a central theme of the text?

• People celebrate in spite of their suffering.

• People hide their suffering in order to survive.

• People rely on faith to deal with their suffering.

• People are often deceitful to get what they want

The mask that the author describes is an example of

• onomatopoiea

• symbolism

1. What does the symbol of the mask mean for the poet? 

 

Why does the mask hide cheeks and shade eyes

• to hide the wearers’ true emotions

• to disguise the wearers’ intentions

• to make the wearers anonymous

• . to make all its wearers look the same