Question 1: What is the significance of the opening line 'They called me emigree'? How does this set the tone for the poem?

Answer: It introduces the speaker's identity as an emigrée, highlighting themes of belonging and memory, and sets a personal tone for the poem.

Question 2: Analyze the line 'My memory of it is sunlight-clear.' What does this suggest about the speaker's perception of her homeland?

Answer: It suggests that the speaker's memory is vivid and positive, emphasizing nostalgia and idealized perception of her homeland.

Question 3: Identify and explain the effect of the metaphor in the line 'It may be at war, it may be sick with tyrants.'

Answer: The metaphor suggests the homeland is suffering from political turmoil and oppression, reinforcing themes of conflict and loss.

Question 4: What does the phrase 'my city of walls' reveal about the speaker’s feelings towards her homeland?

Answer: It indicates a sense of safety, security, and personal attachment to the city, emphasizing nostalgia and belonging.

Question 5: Describe how the poet uses contrast between 'sunlight' and 'war' to develop the poem's themes.

Answer: The contrast highlights the disparity between the speaker's warm, idealized memories and the harsh reality of her homeland's suffering, emphasizing themes of nostalgia versus reality.

Question 1: Identify the metaphor in the line 'I have no passport, there's no way back for me.' What does this suggest about the speaker's sense of belonging?

Answer: The metaphor suggests feelings of exile and disconnection, emphasizing the speaker's inability to return home physically or emotionally.

Question 2: Find and analyze the personification in the line 'My city, my memory of it is sunlight-clear.'

Answer: While not explicitly personified, the phrase attributes clarity and warmth to the memory, giving it human-like qualities that evoke nostalgia.

Question 3: How does the poet use the image of 'a city of walls' to symbolize security and identity?

Answer: The 'city of walls' symbolizes safety, protection, and a strong sense of personal and cultural identity tied to the homeland.

Question 4: Quote explosion: Analyze the significance of the phrase 'There once was a country...' in terms of memory and loss.

Answer: This phrase introduces a nostalgic reflection on a lost homeland, emphasizing the theme of memory's power to preserve identity despite physical loss.

Question 1: How does Rumens depict the theme of memory in the poem? Provide specific lines to support your answer.

Answer: Rumens depicts memory as vivid and positive, especially in lines like 'My memory of it is sunlight-clear,' showing nostalgia and personal attachment.

Question 2: Discuss how the theme of conflict is conveyed through the poem’s tone and imagery.

Answer: Conflict is suggested through references to war and tyranny, creating a contrast with the speaker's idealized memories, and contributing to a tone of longing and loss.

Question 3: Explain how the poem explores identity through the speaker’s perspective.

Answer: The speaker’s identity is rooted in her memories and homeland, which she clings to despite displacement, emphasizing a personal and cultural sense of self.

Question 1: Identify similarities and differences in how 'The Emigrée' and 'Ozymandias' depict power.

Answer: Both poems explore the theme of power—'Ozymandias' shows the downfall of arrogant rulers through ruins, emphasizing the fleeting nature of power, while 'The Emigrée' presents the enduring, idealized power of memory and identity. Tone differs: 'Ozymandias' is ironic and somber; 'The Emigrée' is nostalgic and longing.

Question 2: How do language devices in both poems influence the reader’s perception of power?

Answer: In 'Ozymandias', imagery of ruins and the inscription highlight the impermanence of power, while in 'The Emigrée', the use of nostalgic language and positive imagery reinforce the idea of resilient memory and identity.

Question 1: Using your understanding of the poem, outline key points you would include in an analytical paragraph or essay about the presentation of homeland and memory.

Answer: Points should include Rumens’ use of nostalgic language, the metaphor of sunlight, the contrast between idealized memory and harsh reality, the structure’s progression from personal reflection to societal conflict, and how these elements reinforce the theme of resilient memory.