Native Son Essay

269 Words2 Pages
In the poem “We are the Mask” Paul Lawrence Dunbar talks about how people use a mask to hide and deceive others about who they really are. Richard Wright riddles examples of this throughout the story “Native Son”; the main character Bigger Thomas is the one who primarily demonstrates Dunbar’s ideals in “We are The Mask”. These examples are easily identified in his interactions with his family, with Jan and Mary, and finally when Bigger is awaiting his sentence from the judge regarding his crimes. “We wear the mask that grins and lies”(Dunbar), this line best exemplifies Bigger’s relationship with his family. Bigger argues and resents his family because he realizes that there situation is bad and he cant help them,” As he ate he felt that they were thinking of the job he was to get that evening and it made him angry; he felt that they had tricked him into cheap surrender.”(Pg.12 Native Son), This is bigger feeling trapped and sorry for himself, because he knows that his family in dependent on him getting this job. Instead of facing this truth Bigger expresses anger and rage toward his family in order to suppress his real feelings this is the “Mask that grins” that Dunbar was referring to. Bigger also lies to his family when his mom asks him what time he got home, this was Bigger trying to cover for the fact he just murdered someone. This shows the part of Bigger’s mask that lies and deceives people. “ The mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our
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