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Sympathy By Paul Laurence Dunbar

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Sympathy By Paul Laurence Dunbar
Sympathy by Paul Laurence Dunbar illustrates through the actions of a “caged bird” what it feels like to be trapped in a society meanwhile other can enjoy freedom. Specifically, Dunbar alludes to the plight of African Americans in the early 20th century. Same as in “We Wear The Mask”, Dunbar opens the door to the minds and lives of African Americans who at first, should be content in a seemingly prosperous and democratic civilization, but are quick to realize that instead it’s all a lie.

The caged bird in this poem “beats his wing till its blood is red” which symbolizes the unending fight that blacks in America constantly face. This allows the reader to understand the harshness of the circumstances and how far the bird is willing to fight
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