Melanctha's Mask

In a quote by Jeff in our second reading of Melanctha, he relates strength through hidden emotions. When I first read this part of the story, I was immediately reminded of a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar called "We Wear the Mask" which discusses the difficulties of being black in a racist society. In the Stein's text, Jeff is addressing Melanctha and their feelings toward one another. There seems to be no political undertones in his words. However, they do encourage feelings of emotional restraint. "I mean, seems to be really not to holler, is to be strong not to show you ever have been hurt" (414). In his poem, Dunbar acknowledges hidden emotions as a defense mechanism against the patriarchal society in which many blacks lived. The first stanza of Dunbar's poem mirrors Jeff's sentiment about strength as tolerance, the mask that "grins and lies". Interestingly, Stein uses the word "holler" which is connotative to a loud, almost berating noise. This quote suggests that being stoic and internalizing pain is true strength.

The theme of masks in Dunbar's poem is extremely political while Jeff's declaration is targeted toward the romantic feelings he shares with Melanctha. Through their back and forth motions, page after page, this particular quote stuck out to me because of its relation to emotion. In the beginning of the story, Melanctha was flirtatious and unsure about men. Throughout the story, she is trying to find herself and discover what she wants. I couldn't help but wonder while I was reading which face is her mask and which is her true self.