<span>“We
Wear the Mask” would have been interpreted as subjective and emotional
if Dunbar had used more informal language and fewer structural elements.
Simpler words would have been more accessible to his audience. However,
the formal structure allows all Americans to relate to the poem, no
matter their race. The formal structure is evident in the following
lines:
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
In this case, Dunbar uses an old English word, nay—not
likely a word that every African American at the time knew. Dunbar uses
such formal language and structure to present his point of view in an
objective manner to readers.
</span>
“Carrots are a favorite food of rabbits”
