Tissue

    AQA
    GCSE

    Imtiaz Dharker's 'Tissue' explores the paradoxical relationship between the fragility of paper and the enduring power of the knowledge and history it preserves. Through an extended metaphor, the speaker contrasts the transience of human life and man-made structures—such as buildings, maps, and receipts—with the persistence of nature and light. The poem argues that flexibility, transparency, and kindness possess greater strength than rigid stone monoliths or restrictive borders. Ultimately, the text serves as a meditation on the human condition, suggesting that our significance lies in our vulnerability, culminating in the realization that human skin is the ultimate 'tissue'.

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    Objectives
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    Exam Tips
    4
    Pitfalls
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    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • AO1: Develop a conceptualized comparison of the fragility of human power versus the enduring power of nature and history, linking the 'tissue' of paper to human skin.
    • AO2: Analyze the effect of enjambment, free verse, and lack of rhyme to reflect the freedom of 'transparent' structures versus the rigidity of 'brick' and 'monoliths'.
    • AO2: Explore the extended metaphor of 'tissue' representing religious texts (Koran), maps (borders), and receipts (commerce) to critique material permanence.
    • AO3: Integrate understanding of Dharker's critique of fundamentalism and man-made borders, linking to the conflict between preservation and destruction.

    Example Examiner Feedback

    Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

    • "You have identified the metaphor of the 'architect', but you need to compare this specifically to the 'sculptor' or 'traveler' in your chosen paired poem"
    • "Your analysis of enjambment is accurate; now explain how this structural freedom challenges the 'brick' and 'monoliths' mentioned later"
    • "Ensure your context regarding Dharker's views on borders is used to explain *why* she uses the image of 'maps', not just stated as fact"
    • "You are treating the poems separately. Use connective phrases to weave the analysis of 'Tissue' and your second poem together in every paragraph"

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • AO1: Develop a conceptualized comparison of the fragility of human power versus the enduring power of nature and history, linking the 'tissue' of paper to human skin.
    • AO2: Analyze the effect of enjambment, free verse, and lack of rhyme to reflect the freedom of 'transparent' structures versus the rigidity of 'brick' and 'monoliths'.
    • AO2: Explore the extended metaphor of 'tissue' representing religious texts (Koran), maps (borders), and receipts (commerce) to critique material permanence.
    • AO3: Integrate understanding of Dharker's critique of fundamentalism and man-made borders, linking to the conflict between preservation and destruction.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡Pair 'Tissue' with 'Ozymandias' to contrast the aggressive decay of power with Dharker's gentle, healing acceptance of transience
    • 💡Allocate 45 minutes: 5 minutes planning the comparison points, 35 minutes writing, 5 minutes checking
    • 💡Memorize the 'capitals and monoliths' stanza to contrast with the 'living tissue' for AO2 analysis of form
    • 💡Ensure the introduction establishes a clear thesis comparing the *types* of power presented in both poems (e.g., human vs. natural)

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Treating the poem as a literal description of paper without engaging with the metaphorical shift to 'your skin' in the final stanza
    • Failing to compare methods; listing techniques in 'Tissue' and the paired poem separately without synthesis
    • Asserting 'confusion' or 'lack of structure' as a criticism rather than analyzing it as an intentional structural choice reflecting fluidity
    • Bolting on biographical context about Dharker's Pakistani/Scottish heritage without linking it to the theme of borders or identity

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

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