4.05: Poetry of the Civil War Era

We Wear the Mask - Analyzing Details

1. What does the mask symbolize?

2. Could this poem apply to other people who are not African-American? Explain your answer.

"Because I Could Not Stop For Death"- Analyzing Details

3. What kind of person is Death? How does the poet characterize him?

4. What does the "house" in stanza #5 symbolize?

5. Readers often have different opinions about the final stanza of the poem. Some believe it holds a tone of terror, while others think it expresses confidence and acceptance. What do you think? Explain your answer.