"docile as paper"

• How is the simile “docile as paper” used in The Émigree, and what does it reveal about power, control, and memory?

  The simile “docile as paper” presents memory as something that is obedient, passive, and easily shaped—much like paper, which can be written on, torn, or manipulated. This suggests the speaker’s idealised memories of her homeland are malleable, shaped by her own emotions rather than objective truth. The word docile also carries sinister undertones of control, hinting at how governments manipulate narratives, or how the speaker herself clings to a comforting but potentially fictional version of her past.
• Form and Structure

  The phrase appears in free verse, surrounded by vivid imagery of sunlight and positivity. This flexible structure mirrors how memory bends and adapts, especially when formed in childhood. It also contrasts the chaotic political backdrop of her real country with the peaceful, paper-thin version she holds onto.
• Writers Intent and Context

  Carol Rumens, influenced by her travels and political awareness of Russia and Eastern Europe, explores how identity is shaped by both memory and oppression. This line shows how people may reconstruct their past as a form of psychological survival—clinging to what is ‘docile’ or comforting in the face of displacement.