Paul Laurence Dunbar was the first African American writer to earn a living from writing. He was born in Ohio to former slaves and published his first book of poetry after taking out a loan. Dunbar wrote both formal and informal poetry in dialect, which was popular but also criticized. His poem "We Wear the Mask" uses masks as a metaphor for hiding true feelings and emotions from the world. The poem has an ABAB rhyme scheme.
2. Paul Laurence Dunbar
1872-1906
First African American to gain
national recognition for and
support himself by writing
Born in Dayton, Ohio to
former slaves
Couldn‟t find work in writing
business because of race, so
took a job as an elevator
operator
3. Dunbar‟s Writing
Took out a loan to publish first
book of poetry
Impressed critics very popular
Wrote formal and informal poetry
Critics usually focused on informal
(rural dialect)
Criticized by other African
Americans thought he was just
giving white readers what they
wanted
4. Literary Terms: Review
Exact rhyme: exactly the same
„days‟ and „ways‟
Slant rhyme: sound alike but not exact
„prove‟ and „love‟
End rhyme: occurs at ends of poetic lines
„The
dog went to the store.
We don‟t go anymore.‟
Internal rhyme: appears within a line
„They cried when she died.‟
5. “We Wear the Mask”
1. Who does “we” refer to?
2. What emotions do the “masks” cover up?
3. Why would it be bad for “the world (to be)
overwise, / in counting all (their) tears and sighs?”
4. What is the rhyme scheme?
5. Name 3 other situations this poem could apply to.
For example, a boy might „wear a mask‟ by playing
baseball even if he‟d rather play with his sister‟s toys.
6. Classwork
1. Write your own poem in a similar manner. Use the
same rhyme scheme as Dunbar. You may:
Choose to write about a “mask” you wear OR
Choose to write about one of the 3 examples you wrote.
2. Create a mask and design it based on your poem.
Make sure it highlights the mood and issues in your
writing.
