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Tissue by Imtiaz Dharker - AQAThemes

Tissue explores the varied uses of paper and how they relate to life itself. Content, ideas, language and structure are explored. Comparisons and alternative interpretations are also considered.

Part of English LiteraturePoems

Themes

A photo of children holding the Koran — Figure caption,
The power of paper is explored in 'Tissue'

A number of unifying ideas or run through the poem. Different readers may attach more or less significance to each of these themes, depending upon how they view the poem.

Theme	Evidence	Analysis
Power: this poem refers to the power of paper to change things and to record our memories.	'this/ is what could alter things.'	Even the most delicate kinds of paper can record the most important details - of family life, national borders or financial transactions.
Instability: the speaker suggests that paper (used as a metaphor for buildings) is at the mercy of greater forces, such as the weather.	'might fly our lives like paper kites'	The simile (a comparison using 'like' or 'as' to create a vivid image) suggests that our lives are not always in our control, but more like kites being blown by the wind.
Human essence: this poem compares the significance and fragility of paper documents to the fleeting nature of building structures.	'how easily/ they fall away on a sigh,'/ 'turned into your skin.'	The essence of human beings can outlast even things that seem permanent but have collapsed, like large buildings.

Theme	Power: this poem refers to the power of paper to change things and to record our memories.
Evidence	'this/ is what could alter things.'
Analysis	Even the most delicate kinds of paper can record the most important details - of family life, national borders or financial transactions.

Theme	Instability: the speaker suggests that paper (used as a metaphor for buildings) is at the mercy of greater forces, such as the weather.
Evidence	'might fly our lives like paper kites'
Analysis	The simile (a comparison using 'like' or 'as' to create a vivid image) suggests that our lives are not always in our control, but more like kites being blown by the wind.

Theme	Human essence: this poem compares the significance and fragility of paper documents to the fleeting nature of building structures.
Evidence	'how easily/ they fall away on a sigh,'/ 'turned into your skin.'
Analysis	The essence of human beings can outlast even things that seem permanent but have collapsed, like large buildings.

Question

How does the poet make the connection between paper and human life?

Interpretations

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