The Emigrée Flashcards
Who wrote the emigrée
Carol Rumens
When was it written
1993
What’s the form of the poem
Structure and sentences
A soliloquy with the poet musing to herself, there are longer lyrical sentences -enjambment which describe the remembered city, these contrast with shorter terser/ uncomfortable sentences for the current situation/country eg- “they mutter death”
Finish the quotation “There was ….
“There was once a country…”
Past participle ‘was’ suggests it’s no longer a country but a war zone, the ellipsis is ambiguous =remembering the past - pause for thought/reflecting
What could the new cities attitudes suggest an element of
Absence and no pass port=should be be there or should go back to their city to join the new regime.
There’s an element of racism & lack of support for, new country
Eg “They accuse me of absence”
Finish the quotation “but I am…..
“But I am branded by an impression of sunlight”
Main clause- metaphor to show how her positive view of her home is permanent, no matter what people say “cannot break my original view”-element of stubbornness, she isn’t trying to settle in new country “they accuse me of absence”
“Banned by the state” suggests what
Her “child’s vocabulary I carried here”
Her language/culture may be banned by the state- tyrants
What is there repetition of
“Sunlight” showing importance of light and as a symbol of freedom, contrasting with metaphors of isolation
What is the poem based on (context)
The poem is based on modern examples of emigration (not a specific example or her own experience)
People have to flee their homes because of war, corruption, tyranny or dictatorship
Finish the quotation “my city comes…..
“My city comes to me in its own white plane- links to paper aeroplane (docile as paper) and child hood connotations - paper is easily torn, her thoughts of her new city travel back to her but not fully suggesting that she has to account her thoughts as otherwise she’d forget
Finish the quotation “the accuse ….
“They cuss me if being dark in their free city - racism link again & she isn’t taking any opportunities I the new city “they accuse me of absence”
Finish the quotation “my city hides
“My city hides behind me” she protects it
Possessive pronoun shows her will & fight for the optimism of it
What does confined have connotations to
Confined- has to be there but doesn’t want to, link to possible refugee camp?
