Metaphor: The poet has used the extended metaphor of “mask” to
illustrate the false persona that people put on to hide their real feelings and true emotions from other people
. … The poet has used visual imagery such as, “torn and bleeding hearts”; “We smile” and “Beneath our feet.”
How does the poet use figurative language to develop the theme in?
Figurative language is used to
create layers of meaning which the reader accesses through the senses, symbolism, and sound devices
. Figurative language brings the reader deeper into the theme of the work, without the author having to explicitly lay out the theme for the reader. … Symbolism.
What is the mask a metaphor for in We Wear the Mask?
The first line repeats the poem's title and introduces its extended metaphor. The mask, which represents
the false emotions a person might “wear” in front of other people, both smiles and lies
—which indicates that the outward appearance of the mask does not match the true emotions that are beneath it.
What is a main theme of Dunbar's first stanza We Wear the Mask?
The main themes in “We Wear the Mask” are
racial inequality, the cost of duplicity, the fallen nature of humanity, and inner versus outer worlds
. Racial inequality: The poem reflects Dunbar's exploration of the condition of Black Americans, specifically their concealment of their suffering.
What figurative language is?
Figurative language is
when you describe something by comparing it to something else
. The words or phrases that are used don't have a literal meaning. It uses metaphors, allusions, similes, hyperboles and other examples to help describe the object you are talking about.
Why do poets use figurative language in poetry?
Writers and poets use figurative language
to build imagery and give words more power
. Simile, metaphor and a host of other non-literal methods of expression help make foreign concepts familiar and graspable.
How does figurative language help writers express their ideas?
Figurative language also
makes ideas and concepts easier to visualize
. It can bring clarity to abstract ideas, concepts, and feelings. Devices like imagery and onomatopoeia form a clear picture in the mind. Comparisons through metaphors, similes, and symbolism make complex ideas easier to understand.
What are some examples of figurative language?
- This coffee shop is an icebox! ( …
- She's drowning in a sea of grief. ( …
- She's happy as a clam. ( …
- I move fast like a cheetah on the Serengeti. ( …
- The sea lashed out in anger at the ships, unwilling to tolerate another battle. ( …
- The sky misses the sun at night. (
What is the mask that the poet is talking about?
Explanation: The mask symbolizes
how blacks must hide who they really are to navigate in white society
. Because they are viewed as stereotypes, blacks must pretend to be what white people expect them to be. A mask hides one's true identity.
How is personification used in We Wear the Mask?
Personification is in the title of the poem, “ We Wear the Mask,” (1) which suggest that he is
personifying the mask because people wear it like it is a second face or alive
. Dunbar gives the mask human characteristics because the people have allowed the mask to go from being temporarily on their face to permananent.
What do the torn and bleeding hearts symbolize?
Lines 3-4. This debt we pay to human guile; With torn and bleeding hearts we smile, … And just like we saw in lines 1 and 2, these lines also have a lot of figurative language that's building upon the extended
metaphor of masks representing human deception
: “torn and bleeding hearts we smile.”
Which best describes one reason why sympathy is a naturalist poem?
Which best describes one reason why “Sympathy” is a naturalist poem?
It addresses the effects of racism and oppression in society.
Which of the following statements best expresses how the dialogue in the poem reflects the beliefs of naturalism?
Which of the following statements best expresses how the dialogue in the poem reflects the beliefs of naturalism?
The dialogue reveals humans' self-interest and their helplessness in the face of external forces.
What is a figurative language in poetry?
Most generally, figurative language
refers to language that is not literal: it suggests a comparison to something else, so that one thing is seen in terms of another
. For example, the phrase fierce tears (the personification of tears) is figurative, since tears cannot really act in a fierce way, as people can.
Why figurative language is used?
Figurative language
compares things in order to give them more detail
. We use figurative language to help the reader better understand what we are trying to describe.
Why is figurative language important?
Using figurative language is an
effective way of communicating an idea that is not easily understood
because of its abstract nature or complexity. … Writers of prose and poetry use figurative language to elicit emotion, help readers form mental images and draw readers into the work.
What role does the author's use of figurative language play in developing the theme? The author
uses metaphors throughout to create strong visual images that add meaning to the text
.
Why do writers use metaphors and similes in their writing?
A metaphor is a literary device writers use to
make their writing more evocative
. … Whereas a metaphor makes a declarative statement that one thing is another thing, a simile uses words “like” or “as” to compare two similar things.
How can a writer's use of figurative language benefit and improve his or her story?
Figurative language can
enhance characterization in a short story
. Characterization refers to how the author chooses to reveal a character's personality, virtues and faults. Short story writers often use similes and metaphors to reveal more about their characters in fewer words.
How does the use of figurative and descriptive language add to your experience of the story?
A writer often uses figurative language to evoke the reader's senses. Descriptive writing gives
a story more depth and credibility by allowing readers to imagine the physical world and characters a writer has created
.
What types of figurative language and imagery are used in the poem?
What types of figurative language and imagery are used in the poem? There is a
simile, imagery, visual, auditory, kinetic
. Compare and contrast metaphors and similes and their purposes. Metaphor – A direct comparison of two basically unlike human or nonhuman things.
How do you incorporate figurative language in writing?
- Always know why you are using figurative language. …
- Choose your figures of speech carefully. …
- Use figurative language sparingly. …
- If you are using figurative language as dialogue, be sure it is appropriate for that character.
What type of figurative language uses like or as?
A simile
is a figure of speech that compares two usually dissimilar things. The comparison uses like, as or as if. Metaphor – A metaphor makes a resemblance between one thing and another declared by suggesting that one thing is another, for example, ‘My fingers are ice'.
Which of the following best describes the central theme of the text we wear the mask?
Which of the following best describes a central theme of the text?
Identity comes from what we do
and are, not what we look like. … The people wear the mask to keep their identities a secret.
What is the theme of We Wear the Mask quizlet?
The theme of this poem is
suffering and oppression
.
How are cheeks eyes and mask used in the poem?
These masks hide someone's real “cheeks and… eyes.”
It puts one at distance from their surroundings
. The speaker goes on to attribute the masks to be the product of “human guile.” In this context, guile refers to general deceitfulness. This is an overwhelming human trait.
What is literary devices in a story?
Literary devices are
techniques that writers use to express their ideas and enhance their writing
. Literary devices highlight important concepts in a text, strengthen the narrative, and help readers connect to the characters and themes.
What is the tone of the universe in the poem a man said to the universe?
It is this attitude which gives us the
confidence
—indeed, one might say, the arrogance—to affirm our importance in relation to the universe. That is what the man in the poem is doing when he proudly affirms to the universe that he exists. He is respectful towards the universe in that he addresses it as “Sir”.
Which best describes the irony in a man said to the universe quizlet?
Terms in this set (10)
Which best describes the irony in “A Man Said to the Universe”?
The universe acknowledges the man's existence simply by responding to him.
How does Paul Dunbar use figurative language to develop the theme in We Wear the Mask?
The most important use of figurative language is the mask itself, as a symbol of African Americans hiding their pain in a society that still discriminates them. Furthermore, the line “We wear the mask that grins and lies” uses
personification
as the mask is provided of human behavior: it grins and lies.
What figures of speech are used in the poem We Wear the Mask?
Figures of speech used in “We Wear the Mask” include
personification, metaphor, and alliteration
.
Which line from the first stanza of we wear the mask most effectively?
Which line from the first stanza of “We Wear the Mask” most effectively uses irony to show social conflict? “
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes
,” because the mask covers many human features.
The mask that “
grins and lies
” refers not to an actual piece of costuming, but to the face people put forth when they feel the need to act content and happy even though their true emotional state falls far short of carefree bliss; in fact, the poet states that it is “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile.” This …
What does we sing but oh the clay is vile mean?
The “clay” here is the earth but it may also be a reference to the origins of man: “Remember that you have made me like clay” (Job 10:8-12). So the speaker is saying that they're singing through the pain while
standing above the earth
that's “vile” (wicked) because it provides only pain and suffering for these folks.
What does with torn and bleeding hearts we smile and mouth with myriad subtleties mean?
“And mouth with myriad subtleties” translates to
their smiles having many different fine distinctions
. In other words, their smiles held so many different meanings than just the simple happiness that they presented. So many other emotions were going on behind “their masks.”
How are the themes of We Wear the Mask and a man said to the universe similar?
How are the themes of “We Wear the Mask” and “A Man Said to the Universe” similar?
Both show how humans can be helpless in the face of external forces
.
Which theme is addressed in both We Wear the Mask and a man said to the universe people are vulnerable to the forces around them?
People are vulnerable to the forces around them. Which theme is found in both “We Wear the Mask” and “A Man Said to the Universe”?
Each person is part of a larger system, such as society and the environment.
How are the themes of the colored soldiers and war is kind similar?
How are the themes of “The Colored Soldiers” and “War Is Kind” similar?
Both poems imply that sacrifices bring rewards
. Both poems suggest that order can be created out of chaos. Both poems acknowledge that war is painful and causes suffering.
How does figurative language enhance the meaning of a poem?
Figurative language is used to create layers of meaning which the reader accesses through the senses, symbolism, and sound devices. Figurative language brings
the reader deeper into the theme of the work
, without the author having to explicitly lay out the theme for the reader. … Symbolism.
