1answer.
Ask question
Login Signup
Ask question
All categories
  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Social Studies
  • Business
  • History
  • Health
  • Geography
  • Biology
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Computers and Technology
  • Arts
  • World Languages
  • Spanish
  • French
  • German
  • Advanced Placement (AP)
  • SAT
  • Medicine
  • Law
  • Engineering
olya-2409 [2.1K]
3 years ago
11

How does the poet use figurative language to develop the theme in “We Wear the Mask”?

English
1 answer:
inessss [21]3 years ago
4 0

Answer:

The figurative language is used by the poet to develop the theme of appearance v. reality in the poem "We Wear the Mask." The use of figurative language has helped to bring clarity to the text.

Explanation:

"We Wear the Mask" is a poem written by Paul Laurence Dunbar. The poem speaks about the identity crises when people are faced with racism. The poet brings a strong message through this poem, that people who suffer from racism are taught to wear a mask of happiness and smile to show that the racism does not affect them and to pretend that everything is okay. But, on the contrary, it does affect them mentally and emotionally.

<u>The figurative languages used by Dunbar in the poem are personification, symbolism, apostrophe</u>.

Personification is used in the line '<u>We wear the mask that grins and lies</u>.' Personification is a literary device that is used to show human emotions and characteristics to inhuman objects such as animals. In this line 'mask' which is a non-living object, is shown with human emotions of smiling and grinning.

Symbolism is used in the same line '<u>we wear the mask that grins and lies</u>.' In this line symbolism is used in the word 'mask' which symbolizes an act of hiding true identity. It is an act of disguising yourself and not revealing who you are truly. Since the theme of the poem is hiding true identity, this symbolism is an important figurative device.

The other device used by the poet is apostrophe in line '<u>We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries</u>.' Apostrophe is a device that is used to speak directly to someone who is not present while speaking or is dead, or to an inanimate object. The poet is speaking in this line and calling to great Jesus Christ.

These figurative language has helped to bring clarity and understanding of the theme and the text. And also the message that the poet wants to convey through this poem.

You might be interested in
The strangers that came to town by Ambrose Flack
skelet666 [1.2K]

Answer:

The Strangers that Came to Town is a short story by Ambrose Flack, which tells how an immigrant family from Croatia, the Duvitch, arrive in a small town in the United States, where due to the prejudices of its inhabitants regarding their appearance they suffer discrimination and undeserved tense situations, due to their kindness and generosity. Despite this initial situation, finally, people begin to accept them, as they start to know them and realize their kindness to other neighbors and villagers of the town.

Explanation:

hope this helps :) have a great day love

8 0
2 years ago
Osama bin Laden was BEST known for A) invading oil-rich Kuwait in the 1990s. B) founding an Islamic extremist terrorist group. C
AleksandrR [38]

Answer:

b) founding an Islamic terrorist group

4 0
3 years ago
Read 2 more answers
The answer and show ghe work​
liubo4ka [24]

Answer what

Explanation:

check the spelling

7 0
3 years ago
Read 2 more answers
Read the excerpt from "Harrison Bergeron."
marissa [1.9K]
The interaction portrayed above between George and Hazel develops Kurt Voonegut's social criticism through the 'forgetting' of the sad things that were portrayed in the television. The attempt to forget sad things was a root of social criticism because they should not be ignored and they can be important to in someone's life.
8 0
3 years ago
Read 2 more answers
Classify below as simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex :
ahrayia [7]

Answer:

I believe the best classification for the sentence is compound-complex.

Explanation:

A compound-complex sentence is comprised of two independent clauses and one dependent one. Let's remember that an independent clause is one capable of expressing a complete thought on its own. A dependent clause, on the other hand, does not express a complete thought. Instead, it depends on the main clause to make sense. When we join independent clauses, we use coordinating conjunctions. When we introduce a dependent clause, we use a subordinating conjunction. Let's take a look at our sentence:

Because they provide toys for children, fast food restaurants like McDonald's have become immensely popular among families, and the price of a Happy Meal makes them a great choice for parents as well as kids.

Notice that we have two independent clauses that can express a complete thought on their own:

1. fast food restaurants like McDonald's have become immensely popular among families

2. the price of a Happy Meal makes them a great choice for parents as well as kids

Those two clauses are joined by a comma and the coordinating conjunction "and":

-- fast food restaurants like McDonald's have become immensely popular among families, and the price of a Happy Meal makes them a great choice for parents as well as kids.

Prior to the first independent clause, we have a dependent one, introduced by the subordinating conjunction "because". Notice how it does not make complete sense on its own:

3. Because they provide toys for children

There is information missing. But, when we place together it with the main clauses, it makes sense:

Because they provide toys for children, fast food restaurants like McDonald's have become immensely popular among families, and the price of a Happy Meal makes them a great choice for parents as well as kids.

5 0
3 years ago
Other questions:
  • What argument does friar Laurence use to prevent Romeo from killing himself
    7·2 answers
  • The past tense is when Question 1 options: an event has not yet happened an event is happening now an event has already happened
    11·1 answer
  • In the poem “Gods Grandeur,” the phrase “not can foot feel, being shod” means?
    8·1 answer
  • Based on the words luminous, treasure, search, lose, scintillating, and riddle that are used in the poem, what does the poet thi
    10·2 answers
  • What causes Romeo and Benvolio’s disagreement?
    5·2 answers
  • Identify the type of poetry for the example or description below.
    15·1 answer
  • How do the structures of "It Sifts from Leaden Sieves" and "The Snow-Storm" affect the poems?
    5·2 answers
  • 2. is/ she/ as/ Mai/ easy-going/ not/ as
    11·2 answers
  • explain the significance of the link between nature and the events in this chapter. chapter 18 scarlet letter
    11·1 answer
  • Read the concluding paragraph and answer the question.
    8·1 answer
Add answer
Login
Not registered? Fast signup
Signup
Login Signup
Ask question!