Quotations & Analysis: Stanza Two Flashcards
What does the phrase “I count as gain” signify about poet’s experience meeting the shark? (stanza 2)
“I count as gain” emphasises that the experience is worthwhile to him in retrospect.
What does the word choice of “met” say about the poet’s view on the shark? (stanza 2)
The word choice of “met” implies that the poet found this encounter as being friendly, as meeting someone generally refers to a friendly encounter.
This shows us that in retrospect the author respects the sharks position on this earth, and no longer sees it as a threat.
How does the imagery of “a sea tin-tacked with rain” emphasise the scene visually?
The phrase “a sea tin-tacked with rain” is a use of visual/aural imagery, which sets the scene by allowing the reader to imagine it through more than one sensory medium.
How does the word choice of “room-sized” describe the shark?
The word choice of “room-sized” shows that the shark is a massive size, providing the reader a familiar image which attracts their attention.
What does the use of imagery in the phrase “monster” tell us about the shark?
The metaphor of “monster” refers to the sharks monstrous traits described in the preceding description of it being “room-sized”.
This also shows us that this shark is low down on the evolutionary scale and is more primitive.
How does the use of imagery in the phrase “matchbox brain” demean the shark’s intelligence, and contrast human evolution?
The use of a metaphor in the phrase “matchbox brain” contrasts the immense size of the shark mentioned previously.
This also contrasts well with the fact that humans are quite the opposite, having a smaller, more innocent looking physique, with a much “larger” brain.
Describe the events of the second stanza.
In the second stanza, the meeting has had an effect on McCaig, and he thinks back to his previous meeting with a basking shark.
