The Lesson
by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Paul Laurence Dunbar was a renowned poet, novelist, and playwright during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He was one of the first African American writers to earn national prominence for his meaningful representations of what life was like for Black Americans living during this time.
My cot was down by a cypress grove,
And I sat by my window the whole night long,
And heard well up from the deep dark wood
A mocking-bird's passionate song.
And I thought of myself so sad and lone,
And my life's cold winter that knew no spring;
Of my mind so weary and sick and wild,
Of my heart too sad to sing.
But e'en as I listened the mock-bird's song,
A thought stole into my saddened heart,
And I said, "I can cheer some other soul
By a carol's simple art."
For oft from the darkness of hearts and lives
Come songs that brim with joy and light,
As out of the gloom of the cypress grove
The mocking-bird sings at night.
So I sang a lay for a brother's ear
In a strain to soothe his bleeding heart,
And he smiled at the sound of my voice and lyre,
Though mine was a feeble art.
But at his smile I smiled in turn,
And into my soul there came a ray:
In trying to soothe another's woes
Mine own had passed away.
Question 1
Part A
What is a theme of the poem?
Responses
By letting others fail, people empower one another to improve.
By letting others fail, people empower one another to improve.
In helping others, people often help themselves.
In helping others, people often help themselves.
The solitude of nature is preferable to the company of people.
The solitude of nature is preferable to the company of people.
It is always the darkest in the moments before the dawn.
It is always the darkest in the moments before the dawn.
Question 2
Part B
Which lines from the poem best support the answer to Part A?
Responses
"As out of the gloom of the cypress grove / The mocking-bird sings at night."
"As out of the gloom of the cypress grove / The mocking-bird sings at night."
"And I thought of myself so sad and lone, / And my life's cold winter that knew no spring;"
"And I thought of myself so sad and lone, / And my life's cold winter that knew no spring;"
"My cot was down by a cypress grove, / And I sat by my window the whole night long,"
"My cot was down by a cypress grove, / And I sat by my window the whole night long,"
"A thought stole into my saddened heart, / And I said, 'I can cheer some other soul / By a carol's simple art."'
"A thought stole into my saddened heart, / And I said, 'I can cheer some other soul / By a carol's simple art."'
1 answer
Question 1 Part A:
The theme of the poem "The Lesson" by Paul Laurence Dunbar is:
In helping others, people often help themselves.
Question 2 Part B:
The lines from the poem that best support this theme are:
"A thought stole into my saddened heart, / And I said, 'I can cheer some other soul / By a carol's simple art.'"
These lines reflect the speaker's realization that by reaching out to help another person, they can find solace and healing for their own sorrow.
