Basking Shark

Question 1

To stub an oar on a rock where none should be

Answer 1

‘Where none should be’ alerts the reader that something is not right and that Norman McCaig is not alone.

Question 2

“He displaced more than water.”

Answer 2

‘He displaced more than water.’ This informs the reader of how Norman McCaig felt during the interaction with the shark.

Question 3

“So who’s the monster? “

Answer 3

‘So who’s the monster?’ This proposes the question of whose the worse creature in this world a peaceful fish or the human race.

Question 4

“Centuries back - this decadent townee

Shook on a wrong branch of his family tree.”

Answer 4

‘This displays how norman feels about the evolution of the shark compared to man kind.’

Question 5

“For twenty seconds while, sail after sail,”

Answer 5

‘This explains to the audience the length of time that the basking shark was out of the water. Showing how it was not a long experience but it may have felt longer.’

Question 6

“The tall fin slid away and then the tail.”

Answer 6

‘This shows the disappearance of the shark and how Norman settled after the encounter’