Tissue Analysis

• Tissue


  An extended metaphor for life to show that although fragile, humans have a large amount of power to change things
• Tissue paper


  • Fragile and easily affected by aging and handling
• Koran


  Significance of the Koran
• Architect using tissue


  1. Place layer over layer

  2. Use luminous script over numbers over line

  3. Never wish to build again with brick or block

  4. Let the daylight break through capitals and monoliths

  5. Find a way to trace a grand design with living tissue

  6. Raise a structure never meant to last
• Tissue


  Likened to skin
• Imtiaz Dharker (1954-) is the poet
• Tissue is the first poem in the collection so acts as a preface to explore the source of fundamentalism (the abuse of power)
• Dharker presents the idea that humans do not have the right attitude to life, we see it as permanent and an opportunity to gain power
• This critical view may be reflective of her having to see her husband suffer with cancer for 11 years before dying of it which may have demonstrated to her the temporary nature of life
• Paper that lets the light shine through

  Ironic as despite it being translucent, it is able to exert great influence
• Allegory


  • Hidden meaning of revealing the transience of life
• Quatrains


  • Consistent structure to show how restrictive human power and control can be
• Final line as a single line

  • Emphasises and isolates its meaning, showing it breaking free from the controlling structure
• Free verse and enjambment

  • Loose structural forms show that freedom can be found even within a restrictive institution
• Enjambment unifying lines


  Shows Dharker's view that humans should become united
• The combined effect of the structural devices is to show that humanity is not in control as much as it would like to imagine and the poem may be mocking those who believe they have a lot of power
• Extended metaphor of tissue paper


  Used to liken surrounding objects to human life
• Symbol of light


  Recurring theme, representing truth and enlightenment
• Metaphor of buildings


  Symbol of permanence that should be abolished
• Symbolism of Koran, borderlines, mountain folds, fine slips, what was paid by credit card, capitals and monoliths


  Demonstrates all the symbols of human power are also causes of division between people