By: Thomas Barter Andrew Norimatsu We Wear the Mask By: Thomas Barter Andrew Norimatsu

“With torn and bleedings Thesis We mask our true feelings because we don’t want people to see our sorrow and pain “With torn and bleedings hearts we smile”

Tone and Attitude Tone: Sad tone throughout the entire poem “In counting all our tears and sighs?” Attitude: He seems to accept the fact that they wear the mask “But let the world dream otherwise, We wear the mask!”

Purpose To show the people how they act untrue to their real desire and emotions because they don’t others to see their troubles “We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries to thee from tortured souls arise.”

Audience He is speaking to everyone because he refers to us as a whole when he says “we” “We wear the mask!”

Evidence Some hide their feelings because they don’t want to be pitied or looked down upon We hide our feelings because we don’t want to be embarrassed about our personal problems “Why should the world be over-wise, In counting all our tears and sighs?”

Appeals Ethos: He shows the reader that it isn’t right to hide your true feelings and mask yourself “We wear the masks that grins and lies” Pathos: The reader discovers the torture and pain that we all put ourselves through by wearing the mask “To thee from tortured souls arise”

“It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes” Assumptions Dunbar assumes that everyone masks their true selves “It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes” He assumes that it also deteriorates everyone’s mind and soul

Style He uses rhyme to emphasize a sense of feeling “We sing, but oh the clay is vile Beneath our feet, and long mile” No concrete stanza structure Descriptive imagery and metaphors “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile, and mouth with myriad subtleties”