Basking Shark (Scottish Highers English): Flashcards
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10 cards from this deck
Author of 'Basking Shark'
Author of 'Basking Shark'
Norman MacCaig
Structure: stanzas and lines per stanza in 'Basking Shark'
Structure: stanzas and lines per stanza in 'Basking Shark'
Five stanzas, three lines each
Rhyme scheme in 'Basking Shark'
Rhyme scheme in 'Basking Shark'
Rhyming triplets (aaabbb...)
Speaker's initial reaction when oar hits shark
Speaker's initial reaction when oar hits shark
Shock and fear
Meaning of coined word 'slounge'
Meaning of coined word 'slounge'
Combines 'slouch' & 'lounge' - shark's slow surfacing
'Roomsized monster w/ matchbox brain' shows speaker's...
'Roomsized monster w/ matchbox brain' shows speaker's...
Initial prejudice and sense of superiority over shark
'Wrong branch of his family tree' suggests humanity...
'Wrong branch of his family tree' suggests humanity...
May have evolved in a damaging direction
Central rhetorical question of the poem
Central rhetorical question of the poem
So who's the monster?
'Decadent townee' reveals speaker is...
'Decadent townee' reveals speaker is...
Disconnected from nature, corrupted by city life/luxury
How speaker's view of shark changes by end
How speaker's view of shark changes by end
From fear/dismissiveness to respect/humility; sees grace