Basking shark key quotes Flashcards
What are the key quotes of stanza one basking shark
“To stub an oar on a rock”
“Slounge out the sea”
“Once (too often) to me”
Explain the quote “to stub an oar on a rock”
Metaphor
Compares shark to a rock
Similarities are that the rock is a inanimate object that isn’t smart, which is similar as maccaig doesnt believe the shark is smart
Maccaig Doesn’t think anything of the shark and speaker automatically feels above the shark
Now humans don’t fear large animals
Explain the quote “slounge out of sea”
Onomatepia
Noise of the water wave shows the clumsiness of the shark
Explain the quote “once (too often) for me”
Wc of “too often) connotations of repeatedly meeting with the shark
Shows how the poet is frightened and doesnt want this incident to happen again
What are the key quotes of stanza two basking shark
“Often- though enough”
“I count as gain”
“Room sized monster with a matchbox brain”
Explain the quote “often- though enough”
Dash (structure)
This indicates how there is no rush
Poet was frightened at first but now the experience is worthwhile
Explain the quote “ I count as gain”
Wc gain BS
Connotations of the poet getting more of the shark
Shows how the experience is worthwhile and the enjambent of ‘gain’ emphasises how this is now a positive experience
Explain the quote “roomsizee monster with a matchbox brain”
Metaphor
Compares the shark to being very large but having a small brain
Similarities that a matchbox is very small which means the poet thinks the sharks brain is very small
Roomsize similarly shows how a room is as large as the shark
Contrasting metaphor shows how little the shark is on the evolutionary chain and how the poet doesn’t have much feeling for the shark.
What are the key quotes for stanza three basking shark
“He displaced more than water”
“He shoggled me centuries back”
“Decadent Townee”
“Shook on the wrong branch of the family tree”
Explain the quote “he displaced more than water”
Wc
“He” has connotations of the shark being male human
This shows how the poet looking at his position at life..
The poet is now thinking more of the shark, he isn’t an object but now an animal
Explain the quote “he shovels me centuries back”
Wc- ‘shoggled’
Connotations of the shark moving
Shows how the shark is in control of the situation as it is moving the poet.
Enjambent draws attention to the line change and emphasises how he is thinking of old times
Explain the quote “shook on the wrong branch of the family tree”
Metaphor
Compares the shark to having a large family tree
Similarities are that many humans have family trees and as do sharks.
Shows how sharks are animals and have families
Evolution of the animal kingdom
What are the key quotes of stanza four basking shark
‘Swish up the dirt’
‘Emerging from the slime of everything’
Explain the quote ‘swish up the dirt’
Onomatopoeia
Creates displacement and shows how shark is in control
Links to slounge
Explain the quote ‘emerging from the slime of everything’
Wc
‘Emerging’
Connotations coming up and above
Reinforces a sense of clarity associated with coming out of the dark to the light
Wc ‘slime’
Connotations of being slippery
Shows the beginning of life Reinforces evolution of the shark
