We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar explains the emotions of African Americans during times of racism and segregation. The poem uses the metaphor of using a mask to hide true feelings. African Americans pretend to be happy to the white people while in reality they are tormented. In the book The Help, I think Aibileen perfectly represents the truth to this poem. Aibileen is a maid in the 1960’s in Jackson, Mississippi. She works for Miss Leefolt, A young lady who is driven by peer pressure of her racist friend Hilly. Aibileen is constantly treated like a lower class of human and does her best to keep her cool. In the novel, Miss Hilly is convincing Miss Leefolt to purchase a separate bathroom for Aibileen. To herself, Aibileen wishes she can say how stupid that is but, holds herself back and “puts on a mask” to hide her emotions. Even though she would want to like to let out her anger, she can’t because she would be fired from her job. When Aibileen is fired for being framed of stealing silverware, she is given the opportunity of letting her emotions out, but does not. I believe she feels that Hilly and Miss Leefolt don’t deserve to see her true emotions. In the poem, the second stanza explains that the world should only see the fake feelings of African Americans. The poem is explaining that African Americans don’t want to be sympathized by the white people. The poem also capitalizes the word “we” as to show that the poem is representing all of the African American Community. The book “The Help” also tries to speak as a representative of all African Americans about the harsh life they all share. The theme of the poem and the characteristics of Aibileen are a perfect match. They both incorporate hiding emotions and the feeling of being held into a type of social order. Not only does “The Help” and “We Wear the Mask” represent African Americans but also represent all people who are treated poorly due to race.
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