Tissue

Question 1

Language at beginning stanzas

Answer 1

• title “tissue” could be referring to paper which is easily destroyed, or human tissue which ages and dies, society can be viewed as tissue as it is made from a collection of cells and is fragile.
• first line “paper that lets the light / shine through” is ironic despite paper being translucent, it is able to exert great influence, for example “paper” being a holy book and “light” being God.
• “light”, “Transparent”, “sun shines” Light is used as a symbol of truth and enlightenment to show how the world should be viewed. This has religious ties as God is described in terms of light in both Muslim and Christian holy books (“God is the light of the world”, “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth”).
• therefore the poem could be interpreted to be a source of enlightenment to the listener of a new way of living in which God is able to spread through life and materialism.
• “The heigh and weight, who died where and how, on which sepia date, pages smoothed” asyndetic listing used to emphasise the significance of the Koran on humanity, however we don’t learn anything from the list - makes us questions its importance
• “fall away on a sign” implies that buildings should be able to change and adapt easily, here, buildings are symbols of permanence that should be abolished.
• “Turned transparent” harsh alliterative consonants suggest that society should become more transparent

Question 2

Language in middle Stanzas

Answer 2

• “If buildings were paper” then they would collapse, showing how fragile they are.
• “maps too.” Short simple declarative sentence creates a blunt tone to the poem. Also shows how a person can be like a map with different countries and cultured contain within them with no borders.
• “roads, railtracks”alliteration of a harsh consonant highlights Dharker’s distain towards main-man structures
• symbolism in “Koran”, “borderlines”, “mountain folds”, “fine slips”, “what was paid by the credit card”, “capitals and monoliths” demonstrates all the symbols of human power are also causes of division between people, Dharker makes us question whether or not these are the things we should put our interest in.
• “might fly our lives like paper kites” metaphor criticises the significance humanity places on money. Highlights how money controls us as we should be flying kites not the other way round. Could highlight how humans think they are powerful but they are not

Question 3

Language final stanzas

Answer 3

“But let the daylight break through capitals and monoliths”, metaphor demonstrates the overwhelming power of daylight - something people can’t control.

• “through the shapes that pride can make” link to Ozymandias that we shouldn’t be so proud of what we achieve is important in life
• “grand design” the ides some things are perfectly designed so must need a design (Teleological argument)
• “with living tissue” there is a turning point here when it is revealed that the poem is about living flesh. “…raise a structure never ment to last” alludes to death and the ephemeral nature of humans.
• “thinned to be transparent” suggests we are designed and prepared to let God into our lives,
• “turned into your skin” last line single stanza. Final line is left separate to make it clear to the listener that they are ment to consider the meaning of the poem in relation to their life

Question 4

Form

Answer 4

Poem takes on the form of an allegory which has a hidden meaning of the transience of human life. This could cause the reader to let go of materialistic life and instead focus on the people around them and God.

Ends with direct adress “your skin” to cement this message in the readers’ minds that they should consider their own actions

Form looks stable but when looked closely it is unstable - free verse. Mirrors the unpredictable fragile nature of tissue paper and human life

Question 5

Structure

Answer 5

• 9 stanzas of 4 composed lines (with a final 1 line stanza at the end), otherwise called Quatrains. Consistent structure shows how restrictive human power can be. The final lone at the end shows there is a need to break free from the controlling structure or control of human power

Enjambment and free verse - loose structural forms show freedom can be found even within a restrictive institution. Enjambment also shows Dharker’s views that humans should become unified.