Symbolism In They Wear The Mask By Paul Laurence Dunbar

At the turn of the 19th century, America was faced with vast changes; Black Americans in particular were faced with a world that was "seemingly" better than before, but in reality they were still faced with the daily struggle of being black in America. In Paul Laurence Dunbar 's, "We Wear The Mask, the uses of symbolism, wordplay and various themes express the deception of the thought that black Americans were content with their social, legal, and psychological circumstances at the turn of the century.
Through the use of symbolism in "We Wear the Mask," Dunbar conveyed the overall underlying meaning that the pain of black Americans during the time was all overshadowed and hidden beneath the small "improvements" for those during the period. …show more content…
Dunbar emphasizes on the basic fear that black Americans everywhere lived with, forcing them to live with a “social mask,” so as not to reveal themselves or their true feelings and opinions. (Constantakis 257) The poem, however, presents Dunbar’s actual feelings, that “the smile” and “the mask”are all a lie. Lines 12 -13 evoke the aspect of slavery that black Americans had endured for the past two and a half centuries; although the ideals of “We Wear the Mask,” were placed after emancipation, the constraints of slavery continued on through social, legal and psychological injustices of black Americans. (Constantakis …show more content…
His poem “We Wear the Mask,” was an outcry and glance at the reality of the feelings that many black Americans held behind their masks despite what their outer appearances displayed to the world. Through his the use of symbolism, wordplay and several themes, such as racism, despair and deceit, Paul Laurence Dunbar 's, was able to express the deception of the thought that black Americans were content with their social, psychological, and legal injustice that they face during the