PLEASE HEAR WHAT I’M NOT SAYING BY CHARLES C.FINN

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND
SOCIAL SCIENCES

SEMESTER:
SEPTEMBER 2022

ASSIGNMENT

NAME OF GROUP MEMBERS:
NO NAME MATRIC NO SIGNATURE

1. G.Menaga Gunasegren 012021021376 Menaga

2. Neevetha Mani 012021020412 Neevetha

3. Peacefull Mary Soosai 012020021190 Peacefull

4. Samson Samuel Murugan 012021070579 Samson

5. Theeban Voradarajoo 012020071606 Theeban

LECTURER : MISS. NITHIYAROOB KRISHNANSAMY
POEM
: PLEASE HEAR WHAT I’M NOT SAYING
BY CHARLES C.FINN

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 02nd OCTOBER 2022

Table of content Page

Content 3-4
5-7
Introduction 8-14
Title & Theme 15-18
Interpretation 19
Comparative Analysis or Poem Evaluation
Conclusion 20
Reference 21-22
Rubrics

Introduction

On September 21, 1941, Charles C.Finn, also known as Charlie, was born
in America. The middle child of three. In addition to being a writer, Charlie Finn
is a certified professional counselor who works with adults and adolescents on
problems with substance misuse, life transitions, and the importance of
spirituality in difficult situations. The poem"Please Hear What I Am Not
Saying" that he wrote in September 1966 is what made him famous.

American poet Charles C. Finn's poem "Please Hear What I'm Not
Saying" has been used to promote understanding of mental health concerns. The
poem by Finn emphasizes the value of showing compassion and support to
people who are struggling.

Like the narrator, many people who have dealt with bullying or mental
health issues frequently create a persona as a defense against the suffering they
have previously encountered. They then wait for someone to see through their
persona and offer them support in order to move on.

The sheer horror of thinking, "I'm frightened I'm nothing, that I'm no
good," and "If you knew me, you would reject me," are two things that are very
poignant in the sentences written from great anguish. Every child naturally
reached out to be loved, but when a harsh response, impatience, violence, or not
being picked up for hours on end, endlessly follows, the child cunningly and
unconsciously buries his amazing self. This deep defense of hiding one's true
and real self behind a mask of "I am unlovable, nothing" is very powerful. That
person's true self won't emerge unless they experience both internal and external
unconditional love.

The poem's last lines serve as a wake-up call for all of us, reminding us
that we all wear a multitude of masks and that only those who are truly

themselves can allow others to do the same. As a culture, it seems like we have
a long way to go before we can establish the kinds of relationships that
encourage being genuine rather than pretending.

Teenagers and young adults can enjoy poetry. Every line in the poem has
a reference to mental health, which most likely refers to traumas that a person
may experience as a child, adolescent, or young adult.

Even when they are silent, they only want to be discovered by someone who
would truly listen to them. They occasionally wish they could hide, but deep
down they just want to be heard.

The mask they put on to get themselves out of trouble communicates that
they are being compelled to act and that they have already endured enough
suffering in quiet. Instead of making them feel their worst, it helps individuals
see the world for what it really is.

Title & Theme

Title

● Title (Literal meaning)

The poem, “Please hear what I’m not saying” written by Charles C.Finn
is a wonderfully written poem. From the surface level, we can take from the title
that the author has something to say but chooses not to communicate it verbally.
As humans, this behavior is common. For example, being called a racist for
having a strong stand on the equality of women. Should we choose to voice out
our thoughts, receivers may not always agree with us, leading us to develop
feelings of dejection or fear of being singled out. Why do we choose to refrain
from speaking our minds? There is only one reason why. We have fear of being
judged because not all of our thoughts and opinions will conform to societal
standards, leaving us feeling dejected and singled out. However, withholding
one's thoughts can be the best thing to do in certain situations in order to
demonstrate respect and self-control. In the name of keeping the peace, it is an
honorable thing to do.

● Title (Metaphorical meaning)
According to Sam Dekin, a behavioral health expert, men have been constrained
and taught that expressing feelings is not an ideal male habit. It shows signs of
weakness and cowardice. Dekin also stresses that in 2018, men who died from
suicide is 3.56 times more than women. We can draw from this fact that
prohibiting and the inability to express oneself can lead to serious mental health
problems. In the poem, the line “I wear a mask, a thousand masks” can only
mean suppression of feelings. As emotional human beings, we express what we
feel. For example, we smile when we are happy and cry when we are sad.
Subduing these emotions can lead to a variety of problems like depression,
anxiety, and mental health disorders. This poem has a metaphorical meaning of
being able to express oneself freely and as we should play our part by providing
support, care, and a listening ear when it is needed.

Theme

1) SELF EXPRESSION

The entire poem speaks of not being able to express emotions and
harmful thoughts outwardly. In the first stanza in, it says “for I wear a mask, a
thousand masks, masks that I’m afraid to take off, and none of them is me”.
This depicts that the emotions that are felt are not expressed outwardly hence he
is putting on a mask that conceals his actual feelings. When feelings cannot be
outwardly expressed, people around us would never know the pain or the
difficulty we are feeling. This theme has its link to the title with the subtext that
whatever has not been saying he hoped that someone would be able to “hear”
what he is not saying.

2) SUFFERING
In the third stanza the line “from my own self-built prison walls, from the

barriers I so painstakingly erect” portrays how much pain the affected person
has to go through to hide their emotions. The words “prison” and
“painstakingly” tells the reader the extent of the burden they feel when they
have to hide behind a façade. From these lines, we can tell how the title relates
to this theme because of the hidden suffering that cannot be seen or recognized
by anyone. The theme is displayed throughout the poem and can be reflected in
the choice of words that the poet uses. For example, “desperate” and “reject”.

3) COMPASSION

In stanza 6 the writer begins to express what he truly feels and what he
hopes people to do for him. The line “you can breathe life into me, I want you to
know that”, shows that what he really needs to feel alive is for someone to lend
a listening ear. “You alone can break down the wall behind which I tremble, you
alone can remove my mask”, shows how much difference a person can make in
the life of somehow who hides behind “masks”. This is a call for help, a cry
from deep within the heart of the afflicted, calling out for someone to
understand, support, and care for him. The title reflects this theme as the person
in sorrow wishes for someone to be accepting of what he feels. He expresses
that this is what he needs to truly “break free” from his prison of masks. The
poem ends with the writer creating a cause to action and invoking the readers to
extend compassion to unsuspecting victims of mental disorders.

INTERPRETATION (Stanza by stanza technical details)

Stanza 1:
This stanza opens with the poet declaring, "Don't be fooled by
me." This statement led directly to the breakdown of the poem. It was immediately revealed
that the persona was hiding behind a mask, and the reader was cautioned not to trust what he
was saying or the image he was projecting since it wasn't the real him.

Stanza 2:
The poet went into greater detail in the second stanza, emphasising why people should not
be fooled by what they see in him, that all they perceive is a pretence, a "mask." That his
mask gave him the impression of confidence, cool, and that he needed no one. His masks,
however, were simply masking his confusion, fear, and loneliness. It's a facade he wears to
keep people at bay and to help him to pretend due to him being scared at the thought of his
vulnerability being exposed. With his “ever-varying” and “ever-concealing” mask, he
managed to shield himself from people who might be able to figure him out, to see his
weaknesses.

Stanza 3:
In this stanza, however, despite hiding himself from people, he longs to be seen and heard,
but only if they accept him for who he truly is. The persona realises that this is the only
thing that can save him from the lonely world he has created and resided in. He believes that
when people see the real him, his weaknesses, and still embrace him no matter what, it
reassures him that despite his self-deprecating thoughts, he is actually worth something. But
in spite of wanting to be seen and heard, he keeps his genuine desires hidden. The poet
explains that the persona fears that if he reveals his true self, his weakness, people would
reject him.

Stanza 4:
This stanza continues with how due to the persona's fear of being rejected for being himself,
he continues his game of pretence. How he would go about his day around other people and
converse with them as though the masks he donned is the real him and that he is not crying
for help. But despite his continuation of pretence, the persona once again warned the readers
to not be fooled by his mask and instead, try to listen to what he’s not saying and
understands that there are many things needed to be said by him but could not.

Stanza 5:
In this stanza, the persona began trying to reach out. This whole stanza is a cry for help from
the poet. The truth was told that he does not like to hide and continue his game of pretence.
Instead, the persona wants to be himself; genuine and spontaneous. But people needed to
help guide him for that. He needed someone to reach out to him and offer a helping hand,
even if that seemed like the last thing he needed. This stanza continues to explain how only
those who are willing to help him and guide him could bring him out of his shell. How if
they were understanding towards him, he could finally be free.

Stanza 6:
Following the previous stanza, the sixth stanza continues to explain or to convince the
reader that they are the ones that could help him, they are the ones that could bring down his
walls, they are the ones that could save him. Through this, it is as though the persona is
telling the readers that they have the absolute power to release him from his prison walls.

Stanza 7:
In this stanza, the persona warns the readers that he is a difficult person to deal with and that
he may respond unreasonably toward those who approach him. That, despite his cries for
help, he might refuse it. However, the poet remains hopeful in his search for individuals who
love him enough to accept him for who he is, and he begged the readers to be kind with him
if they were to help him. He also addressed himself as a child, which could imply his inner
child.

Stanza 8:
In the last stanza, the poet revealed that he is “every man you meet” and “every woman you
meet”. This could indicate the masks that he had been wearing all along, or it could also
indicate that everyone we meet is also hiding behind a mask. Leaving us readers to wonder
the depth of its meaning.

FORMS AND STRUCTURE

TECHNICAL ASPECTS AND SOUNDS

This is a free verse poem. A fee verse poem has no set rhythm or
amount of lines in each stanza. There are eight stanzas in this
poem and each of them with a different number of lines, and has
a total of 135 lines.

REFRAIN

A phrase, line, or group of lines that appears at regular intervals
throughout a poem.

Examples found in poem;
“Don’t be fooled by me. Don’t be fooled by the face I wear”
(Stanza 1)

“Beneath lies no complacency. Beneath lies confusion, and fear,
and aloneness.” (Stanza 2)

“That is if it’s followed by acceptance, if it’s followed by love.”
“I’m afraid that your love will not be followed by acceptance,
will not be followed by love.” (Stanza 3)

REPETITION

The repeated use of the same word or phrase

Examples found in poem;
“For I wear a mask, a thousand masks. Masks that I’m afraid to
take off.” (Stanza 1)

“If you choose to. Please choose to.”
“How you can be a creator - an honest to god creator.” (Stanza 5)

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

HYPERBOLE

A figure of speech in which the writer deliberately
exaggerates for emphasis or humorous effect.

Examples found in poem;
“For I wear a mask, a thousand masks. Masks that I’m
afraid to take off.” (Stanza 1)
The persona exaggerates the many faces he has by
using the word “masks”.

“My heart begins to grow wings!” (Stanza 5)
The use of the word “wings” is an exaggeration of how
the persona will be free.

SYMBOLISM

A literary device in which symbols are used to express
things.

Examples found in poem;
The word “mask” used throughout the poem
symbolises the many faces the persona puts on.

“From my lonely prison.” (Stanza 6)
The word “prison’ is used to symbolise the lonely
world the persona lives in.



FURTHER DISCUSSIONS - Comparative Analysis
“Please Hear What I'm Not Saying” and “We Wear The Mask”
We Wear The Mask By: Paul Laurence Dunbar
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 masks.
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 masks!

● Similarities of the poems

Point Of View

Both of the poems we chose and found had been written in a first-person
perspective. In “Please Hear What I’m Not Saying”, Charles C. Finn used the
pronouns ‘I’ to express the persona’s feeling to make the readers understand that
the poem is about what the persona is trying to convey while in “We Wear

The Mask”, Paul Laurence Dunbar used the pronouns ‘We’ to express the
persona in the poem where the persona is expressing the feelings they had been
through on behalf of the people the persona is trying to speak up.

Symbolism

Both of the poems used masks as the symbolism of the poem as both poems
explain that people are too scared to take off their masks and do not express

their real feelings. Furthermore, both poems help us to learn that we will never
know other people’s real feelings as they always put on a mask. The first stanza
from “Please Hear What I’m Not Saying” and “We Wear The Mask” are further
proof of the symbolism.

Mood

The mood for both of the poems can be melancholy as we get deeper in reading
the poem we would feel empathy towards the persona as the poems were written
to get the readers to understand what the personas had been through and how
the personas express their feelings through the poem that made the readers be in
a melancholy mood.

In “Please Hear What I’m Not Saying”, the persona expressed their feeling on
how they hide behind the mask as they don’t want people to know their real
feelings while in “We Wear The Mask”, the persona expressed their feelings
where the persona keeps on wearing the mask as they don’t want people to see
the hurt that they had been through. This sets the melancholy mood in both
poems.

● Difference between the poems

1. Theme

- PLEASE HEAR WHAT I'M NOT SAYING - Self Awareness

The poet is telling the truth as everyone in this world faces the same things or
issues, such as being afraid of showing their true identity, their suffering
episodes in their life, and the things they fear the most, which occurs inside their
brain. So instead of judging people through their masks, the people should be
concerned and mindful of speaking. Overall, the poet wanted to encourage all of
us to support and give encouragement to let all of us live happily and stress-

- WE WEAR THE MASK - Racism

In this poem, even though it is about a mask, the story behind it is much
different from the Please Hear What I am not Saying. The poem talked about the
complication that happened at the end of the 19th century, in which the Black
people were discriminated against in every particular thing by the White people.
So, the Black people need to follow all the protocols instructed, and their
opinions are meaningless. Due to the limitations and being governed by the
White people, they felt threatened and unsafe even though they lived in the
same country. Also, they felt hurt, and their presence was unappreciated. So

then, they need to survive on their own by faking the happiness and smile that
lies on their face.

2. Stanza

- PLEASE HEAR WHAT I'M NOT SAYING

There are eight stanzas in this poem. It consists of 135 lines, and it is a free
verse poem in which the words at the back do not align with one another but
provide meaning for each of the stanzas.

- WE WEAR THE MASK

There are only three stanzas in this poem. It consists of fifteen lines. This poem
is in a rhyme pattern and there is a hint given between the stanzas, it creates
meaningful poems.

3. WRITING STYLES

- PLEASE HEAR WHAT I'M NOT SAYING

For this poem, the poet's writing style is more lengthy but it is explicit enough
to allow the readers to get the whole idea of what is happening behind the mask.
After all, the mask that the people use is to hide their feelings, the actual color
of themselves and the people around them would not be extremely careful about
their feelings as they portray themselves as a happy-go-lucky person and
someone who does not have any problems in their life. This poem tells a story
about the mask in depth and lets the readers heal themselves and convey to
other people that it is fine to go through all the difficulties. However, putting on
the mask does not help them be in a good phase instead of draining themselves.

- WE WEAR THE MASK

The writing style in this poem is straightforward, but it uses extended
metaphors. The poet successfully described the mask well in which to engage
with the readers easily. As the mask is the tool to cover their identity, he tells
about the truth behind the mask, the silent cries, and things that make them feel
so hurt due to their estrangement towards the country. In order to help
themselves from difficulties, the mask that they wear tells them that they are
being forced to do things and they have already suffered enough in silence.
However, it does not make them feel at their lowest instead of showing the
world's reality to the people.

CONCLUSION

From this poem,what we can learnt is one of the main element and purpose to
write this poem by the author. The mental illness will bring to a depression
situation and would suffering whole life because it will effect directly to our
living life.Struggling with this kind of things is common for all but some people
do not know how to overcome this kind of problem when happen to them. Self
confident will drop and unable to get a solution because the mindset already in a
critical stage where cant even think a simple things.It needs a guidance like this
poem to realise that every problem come with a solution.Author can understand
the reality based on own experiences and research about the mental illness will
destroy all the prosperity within a short period time.The feeling when we face
the trouble without a proper preparation will lead to a permanent mind torture
rest of the life.People with lack of confident and demotivated will suffer from
the disesse which connect to the emotion.Author have explain the life with a
simple language where all kind of mankind can absorb and practice to get a
chance to change the life and begin with a new life which fullfill with
happiness.Stay away from the problem is impossible but we can try to change
the sorrow to a better outcome and live a life which will given a inner peace rest
of the life.The person who can control the mind within his concern, could
achieve anything in this world without face the disappointment.

REFERENCES

We Wear the Mask Poem Summary and
Analysis. (n.d.). LitCharts.
https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/paul-laurence-dunbar / we-wear-the-mask
Please Hear When I Am Not Saying (2022.)
Charles C. Finn,
https://poetrybycharlescfinn.com/pages/family

REPORT (20%)

CRITERIA EXCELLE GOOD AVERAG NEEDS SCORE %
NT (3) E IMPROVEMEN / 4 x 10
AESTHATIC (4) (2) / 4 x 10
QUALITY T
& The use The use of The use (1) / 4 x 20
of colour colour and of colour
CREATIVITY and composition and The use of
(10%) compositi is effective. compositi colour and
on is very Good and on is ok composition is
INTRODUCTION effective. fun. but not lacking in
(10%) Very effective. many aspects.
creative, Satisfacto (ineffective).
DISCUSSION attractive, ry Creativity is
(Part 1) and creativity. missing. Very
(20%) interesting basic.
.

There is a Introduction Introductio Introduction
well- clearly n is does not
focused states the somewhat address the
statement main topic, clear, but topic and the
that but elements elements
introduces elements discussed discussed.
the topic discussed are
and are inadequat
clearly inadequate. e.
addresses
all
elements
discussed
.
(Synopsis,
general
overview)

Comprehe Good Some No
nsive view overview of view of comprehensive
of the the topic the topic view of the
topic, and support and topic and does
compellin their recomme not present a
g recommend ndations, clear
recomme ations with but not discussion.
ndations good well (Theme, title &
with reason, supported interpretation
excellent evidence, or argued are not well
justificatio and for. explained)
n, portrays (Theme,
evidence critical title &
and thinking interpretat
portrays skills. ion are
critical (Theme, satisfactor
thinking title & ily
skills. interpretatio explained)
(Theme, n are well
title & explained)

interpretat
ion are
well
explained)

A good Some No / 4 x 20
overview of view of comprehensive
DISCUSSION Comprehe the topic the topic view of the
(Part 2) nsive view and support and topic and does
(20%) of the their recomme not present a
topic, recommend ndations, clear
compellin ations with but not discussion.
g good well (Weak
recomme reason, supported comparison,
ndations evidence or argued discussion,
with and for. questions)
excellent portrays (Satisfact
justificatio critical ory
n, thinking compariso
evidence skills. n,
and (Good discussion
portrays comparison ,
critical , questions)
thinking discussion,
skills. questions)
(Good
compariso
n,
discussion
,
questions)

MECHANICS Written Written Written Written work /4 x 10
& work has work is work has has serious / 4 x 10
no errors relatively several and persistent
REFERENCES in word free of errors in errors in word
(10%) selection errors in word selection and
and use, word selection use, sentence
CONCLUSION sentence selection and use, structure,
(10%) structure, and use, sentence spelling,
spelling, sentence structure, punctuation,
punctuatio structure, spelling, and
n, and spelling, punctuatio capitalization.
capitalizati punctuation n, and (more than 4
on. , and capitalizati errors)
capitalizatio on. (3-4
The n. (1-2 errors) The conclusion
conclusio errors) is illogical and
n is strong The The does not
and conclusion conclusio summarize the
logical as is logical n is logical topic.
well as and but does
provides adequately not
clear summarizes summariz
summary the topic. e the
of the topic.
topic.

REQUIRED Response Response Response Response / 4 x 20
COMPONENTS includes includes all is missing excludes
all component some essential
(OVERALL) componen s and componen components
(20%) ts and meets all ts and/or and/or does
meets or requirement does not not address
exceeds s indicated fully meet the
all in the the requirements
requireme instructions. requireme indicated in the
nts Each nts instructions.
indicated question or indicated Many parts of
in the part of the in the the assignment
instruction assignment instruction are addressed
s. Each is s. Some minimally,
question addressed. questions inadequately,
or part of All or parts of and/or not at
the attachment the all.
assignme s and/or assignme
nt is additional nt are not
addressed documents addressed
thoroughly are . Some
. All included, as attachmen
attachmen required. ts and
ts and/or additional
additional document
document s, if
s are required,
included, are
as missing or
required. unsuitable
for the
purpose
of the
assignme
nt.

TOTAL

/100

COMMENTS/ REMARKS

PRESENTATI
ON (10%)

CRITERIA EXCELLENT GOOD AVERAGE NEEDS SCORE %
(4) (3) (2) IMPROVEME

NT
(1)

Subject Student Student is at Student is Student does __/4 X 10%
Knowledge demonstrates ease with uncomfortabl not have
full knowledge expected e with grasp of
(10%) (more than answer but information information;
(Individual) required) by fail to and can student
answering elaborate. answer basic cannot
questions from questions. answer
lecturer/audienc questions
e with about the
elaboration. subject
matter.

Content Student Student is at Student is Student does __/4 X 30%
(30%) demonstrates ease with uncomfortabl not have
full knowledge expected e with grasp of
(more than knowledge information information;
required) with but fail to and failed to student failed
elaboration. elaborate. elaborate. to elaborate
about subject
matter.

Organisation Student Student Audience Audience
(10%) presents presents have difficulty cannot
information in information in following understand
logical, logical presentation presentation ___/4 X 10%
interesting, sequence, because because
which audience which students there’s no
can follow. audience can jumps sequence of
follow. around. information.

Delivery Student uses Student uses Student’s Student ___/4 X 20%
(20%) clear and loud clear and voice is mumbles and
voice, loud voice, relatively reads notes
pronounce all pronounce clear, with no eye
terms correctly, most terms incorrectly contact.
and maintain correctly, but pronounce
eye contact with lack eye terms, lack
audience. contact, eye contact,
frequently and reads
returns to most of the
notes. notes.

Mechanics Presentation has Presentation Presentation Presentation
(10%) no misspellings has not more has not more has 4 or
and grammatical than 2 than 3 more
errors. misspellings misspellings misspellings ___/4 X 10%
and/or and/or and/or
grammatical grammatical grammatical
errors. errors. errors.

Visual Aids Student uses Student uses Student uses Student does ___/4 X 10%
(10%) suitable and suitable inappropriate not use any
interesting visual visual aids. visual aids. visual aids.
aids.

Professionalis Student arrives Student Student Student ___/4 X 10%
m on time for class, arrives late arrives on arrives late
with for class, with time for for class but
(10%) formal/proper formal/proper class, but with
attire. attire. with inappropriate
inappropriate attire.
attire.

100%

COMMENTS/ REMARKS:

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