Discussion Post: The Post-Reconstruction Era
For this discussion post, I would like you to focus on Dubois' concept of the mask in relation to the literature that you have been asked to read. I would like you to focus on Chesnutt's "The Wife of His Youth," one Dunbar poem, and one of the readings from last week. How might your understanding of the mask, or double-consciousness, help lend insight into the characters you have been presented? How do you see the concept of the mask manifesting? How do the characters have to navigate this issue of identity and identity performance? Cite specific sections from the reading and make thematic connections across texts/materials.