Basking Shark Flashcards
Quotes and analysis
To stub… To have
Infinitive Verb
makes it unclear who is doing what
on a rock
Metaphor for shark
explores that it is solid but also without intelligence
slounge
Word Choice: necologism combination of slow and lounge
highlights it’s size and slow/clumsy movement
(too often)
Parenthesis is used to create humerous tone
despite MacCaig feeling scared he is trying to make light of the situation
But
Turning point, his opinion is changing
-
dash indicates a pause, now in no rush, fear fades
gain
Word Choice: connotations of benefit, gift postive
he thinks it’s worthwhile
met
Word Choice: tells us he is no longer in shock, shark is more like a person
sea tin-tacked with rain
Aliiteration: reflects sight/sound of the sea
no longer scared as he can focus on small details
roomsized
Word Choice: emphasises huge size of shark
monster
Word Choice: dergotry reminds us of a basic animal low down on evolutionary scale (dinosaur)
with a matchbox brain
suggests contrast in physical and mental abilities
it’s stupid/unintelligant despite it’s size
displaced more than water
Word Choice: suggests movement/change
shark has moved waves and makes MacCaig rethink his position on the evolutionary scale
shoggled
Word Choice: suggests shaking
shows the impact of the meeting
once again the shark is in charge
Centuries back
Enjambment: makes us focus on the word, shows he is thinking very far back even prehistoric
decadent townee
Word Choice: luxury, materialism, self-depricating
he is urban, lost a sense of his purpose/origin, far removed
Shook… wrong branch
MacCaig is in the wrong, interrupted the shark
family tree
Word Choice: suggests connection/relationship, shark and humanity are linked, all have the same beginning
Swish
Onomatopoeia: movement of the shark
continues idea of displacement
dirt
Metaphor for human’s idea of themselves
a murky thought of how we have evolved
clearer
Word Choice: suggests clarity, he can see things for what they are
one fling
Word Choice: suggests thrown suddenly
one encounter changes dramatically our pov
Emerging
Word Choice: suggests rising, developing which links with evolution, reflects his new clarity
slime of everything
Metaphor for evolution
Word Choice: suggests we all came from the same substance, all connected, nature was first
So who’s the monster?
Rhetorical Question: makes the reader question who is superior
MacCaig is unsure
shark is the monster figure
humanity is the monster
grow pale
Word Choice: suggests shock and panic at this realisation
twenty seconds
Word Choice: not a long time, empahises again that humans are the monster as we don’t really care or think about the big questions for long
sail after sail, The tall fin slid away and then the tail.
shark is described as an elegant contrast to the beginning of poem
fluid/calmer/sophisticated movements
tall suggests importance of shark
MacCaig has a new found respect for shark/nature
