1. We Wear the Mask Paul Laurence Dunbar

2. To Start  The title of Dunbar’s poem for today is We Wear the Mask. What ideas or reactions are created by this title? What do you think the poem might be about?

3. Objective  Students will read and analyze the imagery and social commentary found in Dunbar’s We Wear the Mask.

4. Paul Laurence Dunbar  1872 – 1906  One of the first African American writers to gain international recognition and make a living through writing.  After publishing his first volumes of verse, Dunbar became a clerk at the Library of Congress.

5. We Wear the Mask  Read the poem on page 565 of the anthology.  Pay attention to Dunbar’s word choice and imagery as we read.

6. Analysis  What images do you find most powerful? What ideas do they communicate and why are they powerful?  What point is made about the American society of Dunbar’s time? Does the poem make this point effectively? Why or why not?

7. Wrap Up  What does Dunbar repeat in the poem? Why would this repetition be important?  What is the mask Dunbar speaks of?  What masks do you wear? What are your reactions to this idea?