Imagery - Basking Shark

Question 1

Room-sized monster with a matchbox brain

Answer 1

1. shark’s body is compared to a monster
2. Just as a monster tends to be huge and scary, so MacCaig is suggesting his fear at this encounter with this giant animal
3. . A superior tone is introduced by comparing the shark’s brain to a matchbox.
4. Just as a matchbox is small and contains a tiny number of items, so the shark supposedly has limited intelligence and MacCaig feels that humans are much more intellectually evolved than this animal.
5. A contrast is created between the size of the shark’s body and its brain.

Question 2

This decadent townee shook on a wrong branch

Answer 2

1. MacCaig + humans are compared to decadent townees
2. Just as decadent townees have congregated in cities and become consumers, so humans have evolved in such a way that we have moved away from our traditional roots, needing all sorts of luxuries in order to be happy.
3. A critical tone is created through the imagery of “wrong branch” which alludes to the fact MacCaig thinks humans have made mistakes in their evolutionary journey.

Question 3

Sail after sail, the tall fin slid away and then the tail

Answer 3

1. shark is compared to a sailing boat
2. Just as a yacht is elegant, expensive and glides through the water, so the shark is seen as valuable and graceful as it makes it way past MacCaig’s boat
3. This suggests MacCaig has a newfound respect for the animal which he previously dismissed as cumbersome and lacking intelligence.