The emigree Flashcards
what are the big ideas?
loss and absence
memory
identity
individual experience
what’s the form?
The opening two stanzas are 8 lines long and the third is 9 lines long. It has been suggested that the extra line at the end
reflects the poet’s unwillingness to let go.
why is there no regular rhyme scheme?
perhaps reflects the feeling of the disrupted life of the émigrée. The line at the end of each stanza ends with the words ‘of sunlight’ (a refrain, which catches the reader’s ear and, perhaps more importantly, increases the poem’s drama.)
Why is the structure significant?
As the homeland is not named, the poem seems to be offering a more general
consideration of the emotional implications of emigration. Each line ends with sunlight which might emphasise the fact that the speakers sees the city in a positive light
what does the first stanza highlight?
introduces the speaker’s thoughts about her homeland,
what does the second stanza highlight?
adds more depth about forces keeping her from home
what does the third stanza highlight?
deals with the discontent she feels in her new home.
why are similes used?
utilised to add to the visual imagery of the poem
why is a simile used in stanza 1?
Rumens creates an image of waves rising and falling between the speaker and her city, emphasising the position of isolation (an ocean between them).
why is a simile used in stanza 3?
the city is compared to paper, for being ‘docile.’ This suggests that the city feels within her control, and conforms to her beliefs and desires.
what is the significance of enjambment?
reinforces the speaker’s belief in her memories of her homeland. In the last stanza there are more end-stop punctuation. This reflects the speaker’s feeling of confinement in her new city.This is because, her memory of the city is as a symbol of freedom.
what is the significance of personification?
emphasise the attributes of different places and concepts. examples of personification add to the positive image of the city – we understand the buzz the speaker feels when reflecting on her home city.
