Basking Shark- Stanza 5 Flashcards
“So who’s the monster?”
. Rhetorical question
. This is effective as it emphasises the true meaning behind the poem and its importance. It makes clear that the speaker has been forced to question humanity’s role within evolution and the universe. The speaker begins to understand that man isn’t truly superior, which leads him to question whether it is the shark who the true brutish monster or if rather it is man who is the destructive force of nature as he battles the sudden realisation of humanity’s atrocity and depravity.
“grow pale”
. Connotations of horrified, realisation, and shocked
. This suggests that the speaker has been suddenly overwhelmed with the realisation that man might not be superior and continues to question his place in the universe. The encounter has also shocked him into reassessing his life and existence and horrifies him with the truth of humanity’s cruelty and depravity. It highlights that the speaker is almost ashamed that he once believed himself to be superior to the basking shark, ultimately the experience has deeply humbled him and frightened him with his true insignificance in the universe.
“sail after sail”
. Metaphor
. The fins and tails of the basking shark are being compared to the sails of a sail boat
. Just as sails on a sailboat are vast and graceful so too is the shark enormous and elegant as it glides through the surface of the water
. This is effective as it emphasises the change within the speaker; not only how he views himself but also how he views the shark. This is highlighted through the change in language as the once monstrous and grotesque shark is now a creature of grace and elegance as it perfectly carries out its designed purpose. This further emphasises how unsure the speaker now is of humanity’s superiority as the encounter has ultimately humbled him.
“then (the tail)”
. Connotations of anti-climatic, disappears, and vast size
. This suggests a sense of anti-climax as the shark gracefully disappears from the presence of the speaker after causing such a frightening and dramatic shock within the speaker. This leaves the reader themselves questioning humanity’s place within evolution and the natural world. It also further emphasises the vast and powerful size of the shark.
