The Masks We Hide Behind discussion
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Hi Laura,Thank you for starting this group and inviting me to join. I couldn't even imagine becoming a widow after 19 years of marriage, but if something that tragic happened in my life, I would be reading for solace, too. My heart goes out to you and your son. I've suffered a lot of loss in my life, too - a friend's suicide, another friend's attempted suicide, my parents and step-mom's deaths, all occurred before they were 50 yrs old. But I do still have my husband, and I cherish him. Reading your introduction reminds me to continue doing that, even when I'm mad as heck at him.
I AM fascinated by masks, from African masks to Chinese dragon masks and the invisible masks we wear everyday to feel accepted by society. I even wrote recently in my book about hiding behind masks and found this wonderful poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar, which he wrote around the time of the Civil War:
WE wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!
Because the books I'm writing have high school main characters, the place where we tend to build those masks that we hide behind, Dreaming Dangerously
and Darkness Descends contain the theme of secrets hidden behind a public mask. One of my characters is a girl who wears all black and gloves to hide something that you find out about in my next book, Darkness Descends (no book cover yet). The main character, Cassie, is always hiding her emotions, so people do not know that she can mind-drop (eavesdrop on someone's mind) whenever she wants to. Another character moves slowly and people think he is not all that bright because of his methodical movements, but he's hiding the fact that with one wrist-flick, he can destroy an entire room.Since I'm introducing myself, here's : my author blog. Check it out, if you'd like to.
Thank you so much for starting this conversation. I thinks it's a good one.
Kathie Harsch
Mod
Thanks for joining and sharing an awesome intro. (LOVED THE POEM!) Your book sounds very interesting... especially since so many of us would love to have such abilities (or at least that's what we assume!) From your interest in the masks we wear, I bet things turn out pretty interesting... :) Let us know once it's published!
Again, welcome!
Laura
PS - I'll be sure to check out and subscribe to your blog!
HI!My name is Cambria Hebert and I am an author and a blogger and an avid reader. this is a really great group that I find the topic really interesting and actually versatile. Masks can be used in a variety of ways. ;-)
My book is aptly named Masquerade.
Can't wait to hear what everyone has to say about Masks!
The Masks We Hide Behind
Books mentioned in this topic
Masquerade (other topics)Dreaming Dangerously (other topics)
I also found it fascinating that personally I used many masks for various reasons, which was only kicked into high gear by the passing of my spouse in 2008, after 19 years of marriage. Yet. one solace I find through reading is that one thing seems universal and so simple... yet alludes many of us. The ability to shed these masks, accept who we are, the sum of what we are through those past experiences that currently define us or hold us back and the ability to move forward - without fear or the need to hide behind something we will never truly be.
So, obviously... I do not have all the answers but it might be enlightening and fun to explore this spectacular ability we have as humans (or maybe elephants - have you seen the National Geo Special where elephants go up and knock on the front door of villagers they are angry with? TRUE! I PROMISE!) Yet, I digress... Until another species threatens to challenge us with this ability, I'll continue finding comfort in those gifted writers whose characters invite us into another world where anything is possible (and eventually, we'll find out who gets the girl (or guy), what happens to the bad guys (or girls) and how their human vulnerability hinders, yet ultimately releases them to be who they are meant to be!