"Paper Bag" Explores A Desire For Love And Acceptance In The Face Of Rejection And Disappointment. The Narrator Begins The Song By Daydreaming Of An Unattainable Boy Only To Have Their Hopes Dashed When The "dove Of Hope" Turns Out To Be Nothing More Than A Paper Bag. The Chorus Reflects The Narrator's Emotional Struggle Between Wanting The Boy And Knowing That Their Wounded Heart Can't Handle The Emotional Pain Of Further Rejection. Despite Their Own Self-Doubt The Narrator Is Still Willing To Try And Take A Chance On Love Knowing That It Might Be Too Much For Them To Bear. Ultimately The Song Conveys The Power Of Hope In The Face Of Heartache And Shows That Sometimes Loving Oneself Is Most Important.