Sentence structure - Basking Shark

Question 1

Is a thing that happened once (too often) to me

Answer 1

1. parenthesis
2. used to suggest the fear that MacCaig felt on encountering the shark.
3. The parenthesis highlights that he would rather not have met the shark at all because it was such a terrifying experience

Question 2

But not too often - though enough. I count as gain

Answer 2

1. reflective pause, caesura, enjambment
2. On reflection MacCaig realises that, although it was scary, he gained something valuable from the encounter with the shark through the placing of “gain” at the end of the line to highlight it using enjambment.
3. The dash introduces a change of heart on the part of MacCaig when reflecting on the encounter.

Question 3

So, who’s the monster?

Answer 3

1. rhetorical question is used at the end of the poem to invite the reader to consider whether it is really the human race that are monstrous, not the shark.
2. Whilst it may look big and scary, it is in fact harmless, whereas humans are dangerous and destructive, and have caused huge damage to the planet through their actions.
3. The question provides a link back to the earlier dismissal of the shark on the part of MacCaig, that he is forced to reconsider.