What effect does the poet achieve by repeating the phrase “We wear the mask” throughout the poem?
Complete the sentence to answer the question.
In the poem “We Wear the Mask,” Paul Laurence Dunbar voices his repressed anger and frustration toward American society. He repeats the title phrase three times in the poem, using the words mask and we to show that
What effect does the poet achieve by repeating the phrase “We wear the mask” throughout the poem? By repeating the phrase “We wear the mask” throughout the poem, Dunbar emphasizes the theme of deception and the idea that individuals in society hide behind false facades to conceal their true emotions and struggles. The repetition serves to underscore the pervasive nature of this masking behavior and the underlying sense of discontent and oppression experienced by those who feel compelled to disguise their true selves.
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In the poem “We Wear the Mask,” Paul Laurence Dunbar voices his repressed anger and frustration toward American society. He repeats the title phrase three times in the poem, using the words mask and we to show that the collective nature of suffering and the façade that individuals present to hide their true emotions and struggles. This repetition emphasizes the struggle of a community to navigate societal expectations while concealing their pain and identity.