Tissue Flashcards
‘The sun shines through their borderland’
‘sun’ - noun has positive imagery and (light) symbolises truth and happiness/joy. Could also be symbolic of God and suggests we should all embrace religion.
suggests that the paper on maps is so thin that when light is shone onto it, we cannot see the borderlines. Borderlines are just created in people’s minds - hints to prejudice and suggests they are unimportant.
Link to her being born in Pakistan but also growing up in Scotland - has experienced being displaced and possibly conflict and prejudice as a result. (Scottish, Pakistani, Muslim, Calvanist)
‘might fly our lives like paper kites’
simile - money is controlling people - evokes guilt
paper is used for many important things
life seems beautiful but is flimsy
paper holds records of our experiences whilst our hearts and bodies record feelings and relationships and achievements
links to theme of humans believing that life is permanent and an opportunity to gain power and idea that people and memories are more important than material objects
no rhyme or rhythm reflects how life is unpredictable and fragile - allegory
quatrains reflect how restrictive power is yet this is juxtaposed by enjambment and free verse - freedom can be found
‘a grand design with living tissue’
refers to the way that each life is built and is unique and could also link to idea of God’s design for humans.
metaphor and reflects the plan for humanity, vs the reality
‘living tissue’ is an extended metaphor of skin and symbolises the fragility of life and its importance,
‘never meant to last’ - transience of life and people should try to remember this - build a legacy
last stanza is only one line - emphasises the significance of human life
saw husband suffer for 11 years before dying of cancer which may have demonstrated temporary nature of life
