Explore How the Key Themes Develop in the Poem 'Tissue' by Imtiaz Dharker

For this activity, you will need to turn to the poem 'Tissue' by Imtiaz Dharker, which can be found in the Power and Conflict section of your anthology.

The poem 'Tissue' by Imtiaz Dharker reveals the power of paper, and how it can be used for many different things. It is about the fragility and the power of humanity, which is used as an extended metaphor throughout the poem. The speaker, in the poem, uses tissue paper as an extended metaphor for life. She considers how paper can ‘alter things’ and refers to the soft, thin paper of religious books. There are also real-life references to other lasting uses we have for paper in our lives, for example; maps, receipts and architectural drawings.

The poem focuses mainly on the themes of religion, power and the fragility of life.

In the following questions, you will be asked about how these themes develop throughout the poem.

You should always refer to your own text when working through these examples. These quotations are for reference only.