That raisin, left in the sun will dry out, thus making it impossible to eat. Another suggestion he makes is "Maybe it just sags / like a heavy load" (9-10). The unpursued dream may become heavy to bear, because it still weighs on one's mind causing them to wonder what might have been. The last stanza, "Or does it explode?" (11) represents the worst possible scenario. When something explodes, it blows up and goes flying in every direction in millions of pieces. This means there would be nothing left of the dream. The ultimate purpose of his similes is to show the reader how the dream will change dramatically if left to linger. Oppression is also the element that provoked Paul Laurence Dunbar to pen "We Wear the Mask". Here the speaker discusses what it is like to pretend to be something you are not. This poem explores the reality of life for African Americans once again, and their tactics for survival in a cruel world. This poem was written during the time period when slavery was common. The slaves were forced to labor day in and day out in the hot sun, picking cotton, or whatever jobs their "master" forced upon them. They were often whipped and beaten if they stepped out of line and life at that time was miserable. "We wear the mask that grins and lies, / it hides our cheeks and shades our eyes" (1-2) means that the speaker is full of sorrow and frowns, yet wants the world to see a happy smiling face. This is why he, representing his entire race at the time, wears this mask. Because life at that time was so different, and many of the laws we have today were not in place, it was not popular to be anything but white. "With torn and bleeding hearts we smile" (4), undoubtedly shows the speaker(s) are living in misery, yet don't want the surrounding society to know this. "Why should the world be over-wise / in counting all out tears and cries?" (6-7) proves exactly that. If they show the onlookers that they cry and are suffering, the cruel society may punish them further.
