emigree Flashcards
Structure
- no regular rhyme scheme, but all three stanzas end with the word ‘sunlight’.
- Repeititon and motify of “sunlight”, could be symbolic of the speaker’s longing to
go back to her home country. Enforces the beautiful imagery associated with
“sunlight” onto her home country. Could be dismantling the readers prejudgements
about the countries that refugees emigrate from, enforcing that they were once
magical places. - free verse and enjambment reflect the chaos in what we can infer is a warzone.
- The narrator tries to impose order by using regular-length stanzas (8,8 and 9 lines
in length).
There once was a country…
- Starts of like a fairytale: could serve as irony as she was a child when she had to
emigrate. - The country was her childhood home, so through her childhood lens it could be
seen as a fairytale. Highlights her innocence and naviety when she was a child in
the country. - The tone of the opening line of the poem starkly contrasts with the hard adult
experiences described throughout the poem = generates more sympathy from the
audience - ” a country” = by not specifically naming the country, the authour intentions could
be to reflect the universal experiences of refugees. Highlighting how her experience
is not unique and could be a reminder to the reader what these people are going
through.
“But my memory of it is sunlight clear.
- ‘Sunlight’ has positive connotations of warmth and comfort. These connotations are
complemented with the idea of clarity through the metaphor “sunlight-clear”. - creates a sense of optimism and paints a colourful and beautiful imagery of the
country in the reader’s mind. - In the same stanza, there is a reference to her receiving “the worst news”
‘November’. November is typically in the winter season, symbolic of bitterness, lack
of warmth and comfort, and negativity. - when “November” is mentioned, the imagery becomes black and white, which is
synonymous with tragedy and sorrow. - pathetic fallacy relates the weather to human affairs.
It may be at war, it may be sick with tyrants, but I am branded by an impression of
sunlight.
- The author uses the lexical field of suffering through the words “war”, “sick” and
“tyrants”, which sharply contrasts with the uplifting connotations associated with
“sunlight”. - Here “sunlight” implies that the speaker is thinking of a dream-like picture from her
past, further enforcing the idea of how. - beautiful her childhood country was despite it being “sick with tyrants”.
- The adjective “branded” highlights the extent that the memory is ingrained within
her memory. Could also implies how she identifies herself with her country, she is
part. - Also has negative connotations: the word ‘branded’ could suggest that she has
been physically disfigured by her experiences. - “impression” is associated with a quick glimpse of how someone or something is.
Here, Rumens could be referencing how even though she’s been in her home
country for a short time, her new country could still see her as an outsider as she is
“branded”. Again, reflecting the universal experiences of refugees
That child’s vocabulary I carried here like a hollow doll, opens, and spills a grammar
The simile “like a hollow doll” could suggest how much the speaker preciously
holds onto her culture as dolls are typically cherished by children. This could be
suggesting of the struggles the speaker faced as a child emigrating to a new
country that is different from the culture that she cherishes.
* However, the adjective “hollow” could suggest how the speaker fills like she does
not know much about her culture given that she moved away from the country at a
young age. This adjective emphasizes a sense of emptiness and fragility. This
description can be linked to the idea that the speaker’s connection to their culture
and homeland might have been disrupted or diminished due to the circumstances
they’ve faced. Just as a hollow doll lacks substance, the speaker might feel that
their cultural identity has been hollowed out or distorted. This could hence be
suggesting of the identity crisis that young refugees may have.
* “opens” and “spills” could suggest how she cannot help expressing her culture
despite the government trying to place a “ban” as stated earlier on in the poem.
It may by now be a lie, banned by the state but I can’t get it off my tongue. It tastes of
sunlight.
- The reference to her culture or her childhood memories as a “lie” could be a
depiction of the challenges that immigrants typically face in new countries- they
culture is constantly frowned upon. - “Banned by the state” = represents how repressing the government has been
towards her culture. - The verb “banned” suggests a deliberate and forceful action to restrict certain
elements of the culture, which contributes to the sense of censorship and control.* the use of the noun “the” in front of the state further highlights the governments
dominating interference in the refugee’s culture. It also suggests that there is a
well-known entity responsible for these actions. The word “the” gives a sense of
singularity and dominance, reinforcing the idea of a centralized authority exercising
control over the culture. - The metaphor of not being able to “get it off my tongue” suggests that these
memories are deeply ingrained and continue to influence the way the speaker
expresses themselves. The reference to the “tongue” could also suggest how
naturally the speaker is able to express herself in terms of her culture, again
highlighting how deeply tied the speaker is to her culture. - . Sunlight is often associated with warmth, brightness, and positivity, so this phrase
conveys a sense of nostalgia for happier times and a yearning for the positive
aspects of their homeland. The fact that she can “taste” it highlights how close she
feels to her homeland despite being physically very far. - Context: Again, highlights the struggles that refugees have
My city hides behind me. They mutter death, and my shadow falls as evidence of sunlight.
- “My city hides behind me” = the verb “hides” has connotations of concealment,
which could suggest that no matter where she goes and how much she grows up,
the memories of the city will always be with her. - “They mutter death” introduces an element of danger or foreboding. The vague
reference to “they” suggests an external force or authority that is hostile or
negative. The phrase “mutter death” creates an atmosphere of secrecy, fear, and
ominousness, hinting at the possibility of conflict or oppression in the city. - the use of the verb “mutter” is also symbolic of someone being secretive, which
could be suggestive of how the speaker always highlights the beauty of her city in
the eyes of her childhood memories but fails to remember the negative experiences
she may have faced whiles she was there. - , there’s still “evidence” of sunlight - suggesting that hope is still present, even in
the darkest days. - , the juxtaposition between “shadow” and “evidence of sunlight” is significant. The
shadow typically symbolizes darkness, secrecy, or hidden aspects, while “evidence
of sunlight” connects to positivity, hope, and illumination. The contrast between the
two suggests that even though the speaker’s experiences are shadowed by
potential danger or negativity, they still retain traces of the positive and radiant
aspects of their homeland.
