Compare/Contrast

Evan Wang

Mr. Saverino

8th Grade English

2 March 2023

Compare/Contrast: “Come Alive” and “We Wear the Mask”

In the world, all people everywhere do one thing in common, and that fact is everyone hides their true self. This idea can be seen in the poem “Come Alive” by Hugh Jackman, a poem that uses song to emphasize the theme of the people of a circus hiding themselves but that they must come out of the shadows; and in the poem “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar that describes how everyone in the world wears a “mask” to hide themself. These poems, although similar in theme, have their distinctions in how they develop these themes and how they represent these ideas. Still, Jackman and Dunbar both present a common theme and idea of how

This common theme is very apparent but it is even more so in “We Wear the Mask” when Dunbar writes, “We wear the mask that grins and lies, it hides our cheeks and shades our eyes” (Dunbar 1-2).

For example, Jackman’s method is relatively simple which can be seen when he says, “But don’t you stay that way. No more living in those shadows” (Jackman 33-34). As seen here, Jackman is very apparent, as he just puts out this idea. However, Jackman provides a key difference in the fact that he speaks in a more motivational sentiment, telling the listeners and the people of the circus that they cannot stay in their quiet life, that they cannot stay hidden to the world, and that they all must show themselves to the world. However, Dunbar’s technique is less clear to see and this can be seen when Dunbar states, “Why should the world be over-wise, in counting all our tears and sighs” (Dunbar 6-7). This quote, on the surface, does not appear to depict this theme of getting out of the shadows but when analyzing deeper, it can be seen that the quote has a sarcastic quality to it, in the fact that it indicates that there is no need to let people know how one feels, even though people always try to find comfort in others and sympathize with others. Using this, it can now be reasoned that this quote is actually trying to say how one should let the world be “over-wise” and let the world know who you really are. Additionally, it does not have the same motivational qualities that what Jackman says does, instead, it uses a rhetorical question to make a