Critical Essay on Society in Dunbars "We Wear the Mask" and Piercy "Barbie Doll"

Introduction

I have chosen to work on two poems, Dunbars "We Wear the Mask" and Piercy "Barbie Doll." I think these are an excellent option to put into the conversation because of they both deal with the internal struggles of trying to please society's images. The poems illustrate real-life scenarios in which people in the 21st century are only out to impress despite their capabilities. Therefore, I find it plausible to talk about what is happening in the society to pass over information.

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The literary works by Dunbars "We Wear the Mask," and Piercy "Barbie Doll" show the perception of society. This is seen through the lenses of the public in the sense that the two poems present the idea that there are people who try to please others in the society. The issue at hand, however, arises from the misfortunes that the people who masquerade to live better lives go through. For instance, (Dunbar) we smile, but o great Christ, our cries this shows how the society tries to fake life even when they are suffering.

The contrast between the two poems Dunbar's poem alludes to wearing the mask to hide the pains. This is due to the hurdles that people face on a day to day scenario. They are trying to fake their lives by living plastic lives. On the other hand, the Piercy "Barbie Doll" illustrates a facade in which the people in the society try to showcase what they have this goes to a great extent to even conform to societal standards. According to Marge, 'so she cut off her nose and legs' at the end she could not put up with the standards, therefore, fading away as opposed to carrying on with what society wanted she had to give up as death took its course.

The society has put values on how people should behave or conduct oneself. This brings a sense of contradiction in what should be expected whereas in Marge Piercy's poem Barbie doll "She was advised to play coy, exhorted to come on hearty, exercised, diet, smile and wheedle, Her good nature wore out like a fan belt" (Piercy) This portrays a society that believes in people acting in a way that only serves to please or adhere to norms that are in place. In the end, the girl was left to suffer from no one to advise her.

The two poems are built upon satirical experiences. This is seen in the sense that the people want us to live in a certain way. In the end, they also mock them for what they did in their lives. This is portrayed in the sense that the girl was told that she had a great big nose and fat legs. In the end, she cut them to conform, however, the same society that tried to change how she looked still rebuke her for not being able to contain herself. This is an absolute mockery of the society as they let other suffer at the end mocking them. This is shown by the public asking 'doesn't she look pretty?'

The two poems try to bring to the public awareness of what society is made up of. This is portrayed by the two authors shedding light on We wear the mask "Why should the world be over-wise, in counting all-out tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while we wear the mask" and to every woman a happy ending. This is through the issues that people face in the society. The two poems justify that there is no pleasure in pleasing the public. This is because at the end it will be you as an individual who will bear the costs by being in pain or incurring costs all in the name of pleasing people.

The two poems also portray the theme of peer pressure in the society. This is seen in the sense that the teenagers interfere with each other during the adolescent stage. This is recognized by the classmates saying 'great big nose and fat legs.' The children at this stage appear to be talking out of the influence of peer pressure in the society. At the end one is seen to survive they must hide or put up with the burden of which is unrealistic. The teenage years have been reduced to people telling lies "We wear the mask that grins and lies." The poems talk of fake people in the society (Davis and Paul). They are out to fake it until they make it. However, they are prone to societal problems in the sense that they would only like to be associated with good aspects and not the bad deeds. Hence, they would pretend to be wearing good cloths or even drive good cars while they suffer inwardly.

The setting is in the 21st century this is portrayed through the things that the people want. The two poems show that people have glorified assets for them to be seen that they have made it in life. On the other hand, the things that they relate to are often out of enduring pain and also great suffering. This is seen in all our tears and sighs. Even as the people want to conform to the current century, they have to incur expenses at any cost. In contrast of the poems, Dunbar's "We Wear the Mask" illustrates the black society in which has been dominated by the white population 'let them only see us' this is seen through people being oppressed by the white population and the only resolution is to fake that they are okay (Harrell). Moreover, the society is conscious of the problem that they are facing and they would still bury it in the sand.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, the society in the 21st century is bedeviled by a myriad of issues. This has entangled the mid of a people making them skeptical of what others think about them. In the end, they fake their lives at the expense of pleasing other people. Therefore, in the end, the two poems try to educate the public on the dangers of stooping low to peer pressure. The two poems are passing a message of hope by letting the people have a stand on whatever issue that they are facing.

Works Cited

Davis, Willis B, and Paul L. Dunbar. Paul Laurence Dunbar: We Wear the Mask: Urban Mask Series. Dayton, Ohio: Shango, Center for the Study of African American Art and Culture, 1997. Print.

Harrell, Willie J. We Wear the Mask: Paul Laurence Dunbar and the Politics of Representative Reality. Kent State University Press, 2013. Internet resource.

Piercy, Marge. Barbie Doll. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987. Print.