Take off your Mask!

February 21, 2008 meliss148

“Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.” This quote by James Baldwin says many things that I my self have never thought about before. Such as love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without. The word mask in this quote can mean different things for different people. A mask can be the thing a person would like people to thing they are. It’s what people see on the outside of you or its the thing that you want people to see when they first meet you. Such as maybe your insecure about the way you look but when you meet a guy you make your self out to be confident. That would be your mask or that is how I look at it. The next part of the quote says and we know we can not live with out this mask. I feel that this is true and you can’t always be the same all the time. Maybe the mask is part of who you are now, it’s now something that goes with your personality. Without it your not the same. You can’t always just meet someone and right a way be who you are fully in every way. But in time you will because the other person will get to know you and maybe find out why you have that mask. For you to be able to take the mask off you have to have a bond with that person and that can be anyone. Once you have a friendship with them you can take the mask off out of love and or because you love them and want them to see the real you.

Melissa F.

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4 Comments Add your own

1. shamrock14 | February 21, 2008 at 11:43 pm

That’s a really intersting interpretation of the quote. I definitely agree with what you said and I have definitely felt that way before sometimes and have known people like that. Great job!
2. dimo6 | February 22, 2008 at 1:59 am

I interpreted it as we all put up a facade of how we want people to perceive us. But when someone we truly love comes along, we let down our guards and let them see who we really are. We know that we can’t continue to live behind the mask, but at the same time we’re afraid of what everyone else will think of our true selves.
3. ltimbs | February 23, 2008 at 4:57 am

As far as that quote goes, i do feel like the “mask” is meant to represent the insecurities that go along with love. The mask comes off as time goes on.
4. skennedy22 | February 23, 2008 at 4:57 am

Wow that was deep! I also agree with dimo6, we try to create this image of how we want people to see us. But when when we fall in love, the one we love sees right through that image or “mask.” And they see us for who we truly are. Unfortunately, although our loved ones may see right through it, we still keep up our image or guard to everyone else and the real world. Never showing our true selves because we are afraid and insecure of what others may see or think of us.