The Emigree

Question 1

What does the context of the text refer to?

Answer 1

Links to the modern day refugee crisis

The refugee crisis is a significant global issue affecting millions.

Question 2

How is the structure of the narrative described?

Answer 2

There is no progression in the narrative to show that the narrator is stuck in the past

This suggests a theme of inability to move forward due to traumatic experiences.

Question 3

What elements of language are highlighted in the text?

Answer 3

Sunlight, childlike lexis, discrimination

These elements can evoke contrasting emotions and themes within the narrative.

Question 4

What is a key point regarding the portrayal of the war-torn country?

Answer 4

The bad aspects of the war torn country are overlooked to idealise it

This indicates a tendency to romanticize situations rather than acknowledge their realities.

Question 5

What does the narrator believe about her memories of the country?

Answer 5

She believes the memories to be infallible

This suggests a strong emotional attachment to her past.

Question 6

What current events does the narrator acknowledge about her homeland?

Answer 6

There are tyrants and wars throughout the land

This acknowledgment adds a layer of complexity to her memories.

Question 7

How does the narrator present her perspective on her homeland?

Answer 7

She presents a positive perspective

This positivity contrasts with the harsh realities she recognizes.

Question 8

What does the narrator gain over time regarding her understanding of her homeland?

Answer 8

More clarity on the situation

This suggests a maturation of her viewpoint.

Question 9

Why is the narrator’s language significant?

Answer 9

It is important in terms of who she is

Language often shapes identity and cultural connection.

Question 10

What feelings does the narrator express towards her city?

Answer 10

Maternal emotions

This indicates a deep, nurturing attachment to her city.

Question 11

What does the narrator do in relation to her city in the present day?

Answer 11

She either returns to how the city is today or compares it to her new home

This reflects a juxtaposition of past and present experiences.

Question 12

What kind of atmosphere does the narrator describe from the citizens of her homeland?

Answer 12

A threatening atmosphere

This contrasts sharply with her memories of positivity.

Question 13

True or False: The narrator can return to her homeland.

Answer 13

False

The inability to return adds to her sense of loss.

Question 14

What literary device creates a childlike tone in the poem?

Answer 14

Temporal deixis

Temporal deixis refers to words and phrases that relate to time, creating a sense of immediacy or nostalgia.

Question 15

What theme is used to illustrate the narrator’s inability to move on from childhood?

Answer 15

Language

The theme of language reflects the narrator’s connection to her past and her childhood memories.

Question 16

What does the poem allude to regarding man-made borders?

Answer 16

Pain and conflict

The poem suggests that borders can create emotional and physical divisions.

Question 17

What imagery describes the narrator’s memories of her country?

Answer 17

Sunlight-clear

The phrase indicates a bright and vivid recollection of her homeland.

Question 18

What is the narrator’s impression of her country despite its current state?

Answer 18

Bright, filled paperweight

This metaphor suggests that her memories remain intact and beautiful, regardless of the reality.

Question 19

How does time affect the narrator’s memories of her city?

Answer 19

They glow even clearer

Time enhances her memories, making them more vivid despite the passage of years.

Question 20

What metaphor is used to describe the narrator’s childhood vocabulary?

Answer 20

Hollow doll

The metaphor implies that her childhood language is empty yet carries significant meaning.

Question 21

Fill in the blank: The narrator feels she has no _______ to return to her country.

Answer 21

Passport

This signifies her permanent separation from her homeland.

Question 22

What does the narrator’s city do in her memory?

Answer 22

Takes her dancing

This imagery suggests a deep emotional connection and joy in her memories.

Question 23

What do the accusations in the poem signify about the narrator’s experience?

Answer 23

Persecution

The accusations reflect the challenges and discrimination she faces in her new environment.

Question 24

What recurring theme is emphasized through the imagery of sunlight?

Answer 24

Hope and nostalgia

Sunlight symbolizes the warmth of memories and the hope for a better connection to her past.

Question 25

True or False: The poem presents a sense of belonging in the narrator's new home.

Answer 25

False ## Footnote The narrator feels alienated and accused in her new environment.

Question 26

What does the phrase 'my shadow falls as evidence of sunlight' suggest?

Answer 26

Enduring connection to her past ## Footnote The shadow symbolizes her presence and the lasting impact of her memories.

Question 27

What tone is created by the repetition of 'they' in the text?

Answer 27

An aggressive and accusatory tone ## Footnote This tone makes the city seem threatening and hostile.

Question 28

What does the phrase 'accuse me of being dark' signify in the context of social dynamics?

Answer 28

Experiencing social rejection due to racism ## Footnote It reflects the narrator's feelings of not belonging.

Question 29

What new threat does the narrator experience in the city?

Answer 29

Social rejection, rather than physical conflict ## Footnote This shift signifies a deeper emotional struggle.

Question 30

What does the narrator's inability to return to her native country lead to?

Answer 30

A precarious position with no 'sunlight' ## Footnote This metaphor indicates a lack of hope or warmth.

Question 31

How does Rumens emphasize the narrator's feelings of segregation?

Answer 31

Through the repetition of 'their city' and 'they accuse me of absence' ## Footnote This repetition highlights the narrator's sense of exclusion.

Question 32

What literary technique does Rumens use in the last stanza to describe the narrator's new city?

Answer 32

Enjambment ## Footnote This separates 'of walls' from the rest of the text, isolating the concept.

Question 33

What connotations does the word 'walls' create in the last stanza?

Answer 33

Entrapment ## Footnote It suggests a feeling of being trapped in the new environment.

Question 34

What poetic features are present in the final stanza, and what do they convey?

Answer 34

Caesura and free verse ## Footnote They create a sense of chaos, which can also suggest freedom.

Question 35

Fill in the blank: The repetition of 'they' creates an _______ tone.

Answer 35

[aggressive and accusatory]

Question 36

True or False: The last stanza indicates a sense of freedom through the use of enjambment.

Answer 36

True ## Footnote The chaotic structure can be interpreted in multiple ways.

Question 37

What type of verse is predominantly used in the poem?

Answer 37

Free verse ## Footnote Free verse is a form of poetry that does not adhere to a specific rhyme scheme or rhythm.

Question 38

How might the form of the poem represent the state of the country?

Answer 38

Represents chaos and lack of control over a country with no stable government ## Footnote This interpretation suggests a connection between the poem's structure and the political situation.

Question 39

What positive aspect does the form of the poem juxtapose with?

Answer 39

Positive imagery in the poem ## Footnote The contrast highlights themes of freedom and resilience despite chaos.

Question 40

What does the limited order in the poem suggest?

Answer 40

An attempt at order inflicted upon her life through her emigration ## Footnote This reflects the struggle for stability in a new environment.

Question 41

Fill in the blank: The poem's form could more likely be presenting _______.

Answer 41

[freedom]

Question 42

What is an epistrophe?

Answer 42

The repeated use of a word at the end of a stanza or sentence ## Footnote In the poem, every stanza ends with a reference to sunlight.

Question 43

How does the poet juxtapose the connotations of sunlight?

Answer 43

Positive connotations of 'sunlight' with negative connotations of 'branded' ## Footnote Example: 'But I am branded by the impression of sunlight.'

Question 44

What does the gustatory imagery 'it tastes of sunlight' imply?

Answer 44

A positive association with sunlight ## Footnote This imagery reflects the speaker's enduring love for her city.

Question 45

What is demonstrated by the use of epistrophe in the poem?

Answer 45

The speaker's positive view of her city despite negative news ## Footnote The repetition emphasizes her unwavering affection.

Question 46

What grammatical case is used to express hypothetical flaws in the speaker's city?

Answer 46

Subjunctive case ## Footnote Example: 'it may be at war, it may be sick with tyrants.'

Question 47

What does the definitive statement 'they mutter death' signify?

Answer 47

Tangible flaws of the speaker's new city ## Footnote This contrasts the hypothetical flaws of her former city.

Question 48

What does the phrase 'my city hides behind me' suggest?

Answer 48

The speaker's protective tendencies towards her city ## Footnote This implies a maternal relationship with her city.

Question 49

What is the extended metaphor in the poem?

Answer 49

A metaphor for a lost childhood ## Footnote The narrator's relationship with her city is depicted as maternal.

Question 50

Fill in the blank: The speaker's love for her country will always overrule any feelings of _______.

Answer 50

pain

Question 51

True or False: The speaker views the flaws of her former city as definitive.

Answer 51

False ## Footnote The flaws seem hypothetical due to her childhood perspective.

Question 52

What does the speaker's certainty about her new city's flaws indicate?

Answer 52

Loss of childhood naivety ## Footnote This reflects a change in perspective after leaving her former city.