Question

we smile, but, o great christ, our cries
to thee from tortured souls arise.
we sing, but oh the clay is vile
beneath our feet, and long the mile;
but let the world dream otherwise,
we wear the mask!
-\we wear the mask,\
paul laurence dunbar
how does the last stanza reinforce the speaker’s cynicism? check the three boxes that apply.
☐ the speaker evokes religious imagery to show the extent of the suffering.
☐ the final exclamation point adds emphasis to the repeated message.
☐ the speaker reveals that the world doesn’t listen to his pleas.
☐ the repetition of \we wear the mask\ suggests that nothing will change.
done

Explanation:

1. For the first option: The line "O great Christ" is religious imagery, and the contrast between smiling/crying shows suffering, so this applies.
2. For the second option: The exclamation point in "We wear the mask!" emphasizes the repeated idea of wearing the mask, adding to cynicism about the unchanging situation.
3. For the third option: Repeating "We wear the mask" implies that despite their cries/suffering, they still have to wear the mask, meaning nothing changes, reinforcing cynicism. The option about the world not listening to pleas is incorrect as the stanza focuses on their continued masking, not the world's response to pleas.

Answer:

• The speaker evokes religious imagery to show the extent of the suffering.
• The final exclamation point adds emphasis to the repeated message.
• The repetition of "We wear the mask" suggests that nothing will change.