honour killing

• What is removed in the first stanza of the poem?

  The outermost layer of a 'coat'
• What does the metaphor of 'squeezing past the cage of bone' signify?

  Removing her entire physical being
• What does the structuring of the poem suggest about the narrator's escape?

  She is methodical in her escape from the past
• What phrase is repeated at the start of the next stanza?

  'Let’s see'
• How does the repetition of 'Let’s see' affect the narrator's feelings?

  It emphasizes her intrigue and excitement
• What does the pause at the end of line 31 suggest about the narrator's intentions?

  Her 'plotting' may be for revenge
• What does enjambment do in the context of the poem?

  It pulls the reader onto the final line
• What is the narrator actually 'plotting' in the poem?

  Her travel in a 'new geography'
• What is an honour killing?

  • Murder by family members
  • Belief that individual brought shame
  • Death restores family honour
• How does the narrator subvert the concept of an honour killing in the poem?

  She slays customs and laws of her past
• Who are the main victims of honour killings?

  Women
• What does the narrator metaphorically kill in the poem?

  Her former self, piece by piece
• What are common reasons for honour killings?

  Refusal of arranged marriage, divorce, infidelity
• What imagery is used to describe the narrator's rebirth?

  Phoenix-like rebirth
• How are honour killings motivated by control and ownership?

  To maintain control of property and wealth
• What does the ‘veil’ in line 9 symbolize in the poem?

  Islamic burkas and Christian bridal attire
• Why did Dharker write 'Honour Killing'?

  In response to a specific case of murder
• What happened in the case that inspired Dharker's poem?

  A woman was shot by a family member
• What is a ‘mangalsutra’ in the context of the poem?

  A necklace given during a Hindu wedding
• What do ‘rings’ symbolize in the poem?

  Exchanged in Christian and Jewish weddings
• How did the Pakistan senate respond to the murder case?

  They called it an honour killing
• What is the narrator's stance on religion in the poem?

  She believes in 'my god' but rejects spurious rules
• What was the implication of the Pakistan senate's response?

  They considered the murder justifiable
• What do the ‘black’ coat and veil represent?

  Evil, darkness, and brutality in her life
• What types of clothing does the narrator reference?

  Coat, veil, silks, and lacy things
• How does clothing control the narrator's image?

  It controls her public and private appearance
• What body parts does the narrator reference to signify sexual desirability?

  Skin, face, and flesh
• What does the narrator do to diminish the ‘dictator's’ desire for her?

  She removes her physical characteristics
• Why does the narrator discard her ‘womb’?

  To reject control over reproduction by men
• What does controlling reproduction signify in the poem?

  Control over wealth and passing on genes
• What does the alliteration of ‘rings/rattling’ evoke?

  The noise of coins in a cup
• What does the protagonist's act of stripping down represent?

  A private experience for herself
• What does the phrase ‘At last’ suggest about the poem's beginning?

  She has planned this transformative escape
• How is the poem structured around the narrator's actions?

  It focuses on her removing layers of control