Tissue

Question 1

What is the overall message of Tissue?

Answer 1

1. Uses paper as an extended metaphor to speak about the impermanence of life.

Question 2

Structure:

Answer 2

1. Divided into quatrains, rigidness of humanity, rules
2. One line sentence to end, to break free.
3. Written in free verse.

Question 3

“Paper that lets the light shine through.” (1)

Answer 3

1. Transparency and fragility
2. Shows how delicate life is
3. Her husband was dying for 11 years with cancer.
4. Shows how power can lie in the most unexpected places.
5. Challenges conventional notions of power.

Question 4

“the back of the Koran” (2)

Answer 4

1. Revered despite the fragility of power.
2. Even religious texts will decay over time.
3. However, the valuable teachings and the spiritual significance still lingers.

Question 5

“might fly our lives like paper kites” (3)

Answer 5

1. Our lives are delicate, easily influenced by external forces.
2. Subject to the wind, our lives are also controlled by circumstances
3. Freedom, still potential for joy.
4. Dictated by material desires, which are fleeting.
5. Prompts reflection on what brings value beyond the money

Question 6

“with living tissue, raise a structure never meant to last.” (4)

Answer 6

1. Contrast organic growth with man made buildings
2. Contradiction creating lasting monuments in the transient nature of life.
3. Shows futility, everything is impermanence
4. Inevitability of change and impermanence of human achievements in the grand scheme of time.

Question 7

Context:

Answer 7

1. Born in Pakistan, grew up in Scotland
2. In her collection of poems, humans do not have the right attitude to life.
3. This may be because she had to see her husband suffer with cancer for 11 years

Question 8

What can you compare it with?

Answer 8

Ozymandias: fleeting nature of life, power of time. Differences, corruption vs futile endeavours

Emigree: Both reference themes of time. City used an extended metaphor but uses paper instead