Based on the irony throughout the poem, what is the best inference of Dunbar's theme?

In Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem “We Wear the Mask,” the mask hides suffering behind smiles and pleasant appearances. The irony is that people see the cheerful face but do not see the pain beneath it, suggesting that racism and social pressure force African Americans to conceal their true feelings. This best matches C: racism prevents African Americans from being themselves by making them hide their pain.

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