Basking Shark Annotation of Poem

Learning intentions I can develop my knowledge of MacCaig poetry I can explore the use of poetic devices

Success criteria I can annotate the poem I will explain key quotations from the poem I will explore unfamiliar vocabulary

Starter task Think about an unusual experience you have had. Discuss with your group what impact it had on you and what did it make you think about? Be prepared to feedback to the class.

Poet’s Main Idea This poem depicts the startling encounter MacCaig had with a Basking Sea. Basking sharks are one of the largest species of the shark family, in fact they are the second largest species of any fish, reaching sizes in excess of ten metres and weighing several tonnes. They are harmless filter feeders, having no true teeth, and as such pose no real danger to humans. Still, a surprise close encounter with a creature of that size would be unnerving, particularly if close enough to touch the oars of a small boat, as happened to MacCaig.

Basking Sharks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX6xEjOMxys Watch the clip and note down any facts about the shark. What words can you use to describe the colour/size/shape/movement? Ms Kirkwood

Mind map Ms Kirkwood

Basking sharks in the uk Every year, holidaymakers flock to the coastline in the hope of seeing these enigmatic sharks for themselves. Reaching lengths of up to 12m, Basking Sharks are the largest fish in British waters and the second largest in the world after the Whale Shark. One of only three plankton-feeding shark species, these gentle giants re-appear in our coastal waters each spring and summer.

First impressions After your first reading of the poem, discuss the following questions in your group: What is the poem about? What did you enjoy about the poem? What are the main ideas/themes of the poem? Any words or poetic techniques that stand out and what could you say about them?

Theme of poem This encounter sparked in him a reflection on the comparative paths of evolution such differing species took: basking sharks on the one hand, relatively unchanged for millions of years, and humans on the other, vastly changed since the days when marine life first crawled ashore and adapted to a life on land. This train of thought leads to a disturbing question: who is the monster? Is it the shark, literally monstrous in size and aspect to the human; or is it the poet himself, representative of the human race and all the dark, monstrous deeds of which our race is capable? The thought remains with the poet, unresolved, as the shark swims off.

An overview of the stanzas Stanza One – MacCaig describes the chance meeting with the shark and makes it clear it has happened before. Stanza Two – the meetings have had an effect on him and he thinks back to one particular meeting. Stanza Three – he begins to question his position in the evolutionary process. Stanza Four – explains how indistinct humans were from other species at the beginning of the evolutionary process.

Stanza Five – his opinion of the shark changes and the poet reveals that he is not so sure of his own superiority over the rest of nature.

Group Task Try annotating each of the stanzas. Look for interesting word choice, features of structure, imagery, and theme/ideas. Be prepared for a class discussion in 20minutes.

To stub an oar on a rock where none should be, Stanza One To stub an oar on a rock where none should be, To have it rise with a slounge out of the sea Is a thing that happened once (too often) to me.

To stub an oar on a rock where none should be, Stanza One Infinitive verbs Captures attention Metaphor comparing the shark to a rock – bulky/solid without feeling or intelligence To stub an oar on a rock where none should be, To have it rise with a slounge out of the sea Is a thing that happened once (too often) to me. Although the poet is frightened he tries to inject humour to make light of the situation Slounge – onomatopoeia – noise of waves, clumsy movement

But not too often - though enough. I count as gain Stanza Two But not too often - though enough. I count as gain That once I met, on a sea tin-tacked with rain, That roomsized monster with a matchbox brain.

But not too often - though enough. I count as gain Emphasises experience is worthwhile – explains reasons why in rest of poem Stanza Two Dash – indicates no rush. While it is frightening at first, he now thinks experience is worthwhile But not too often - though enough. I count as gain That once I met, on a sea tin-tacked with rain, That roomsized monster with a matchbox brain. Met – experience is now not a shock Visual/aural imagery Can see and hear the rain on the sea Basic animal - large animal with small brain – like a dinosaur. Opposite to us Roomsized – emphasises size Monster – low down on evolutionary scale

He displaced more than water. He shoggled me Stanza Three He displaced more than water. He shoggled me Centuries back - this decadent townee Shook on a wrong branch of his family tree.

He displaced more than water. He shoggled me Stanza Three Idea of shark making him rethink his life and man’s position in it. Shark in control again – shark moving him. Self deprecating Use of colloquial words. He displaced more than water. He shoggled me Centuries back - this decadent townee Shook on a wrong branch of his family tree. He is reminded that this shark too is part of our own family tree and is inextricably linked to us in much the same way as any other ancestor. Decadent townee – Moved far away from his origins Decadent -- he has lost a sense of purpose in his life and become too immersed in the pursuit of hedonistic pleasures Enjambment – Draws attention to the words. Shows he is thinking back to prehistoric times.

Swish up the dirt and, when it settles, a spring Stanza Four Swish up the dirt and, when it settles, a spring Is all the clearer. I saw me, in one fling, Emerging from the slime of everything.

Swish up the dirt and, when it settles, a spring An analogy is made at the opening of this stanza between stirring up dirt in a spring and the water then being all the clearer, and the present situation the speaker finds himself in. Stanza Four The dirt in this case is the murky thought of how humans evolved into what they now are. The idea of dirt in our origins continues with the choice of the word slime The onomatopoeic swish of the water also alludes to the idea of displacement in the previous stanza. Swish up the dirt and, when it settles, a spring Is all the clearer. I saw me, in one fling, Emerging from the slime of everything. Growing up from prehistoric times. The word emerging in the final line of this stanza reinforces this new, almost epiphanic sense of clarity associated with coming out of the dark into light, he primeval slime from which we and all other living organisms were created, linking the evolution of humanity once more with that of the shark. How the poet is connected to every animal.

The tall fin slid away and then the tail. Stanza Five So who's the monster? The thought made me grow pale For twenty seconds while, sail after sail, The tall fin slid away and then the tail.

The tall fin slid away and then the tail. This magnificent, awesome creature is monstrous simply because of its relative size, but in the metaphorical sense it is clear the speaker now considers humanity to be the true monster. Stanza Five Not so confident as to who the superior being is So who's the monster? The thought made me grow pale For twenty seconds while, sail after sail, The tall fin slid away and then the tail. Shark is an elegant being – contrast to at the start of the poem Doesn’t think about it for long – emphasises how man is the monster

Reflective nature of the poem Like many of MacCaig’s poems, ‘Basking Shark’ moves from description to reflection. This experience leads the poet to reflect on his own and humanity’s relationship with the natural world and to ponder ‘Who’s the monster?’.

Reflective nature of the poem The encounter with the shark caused the poet to reflect on some big ideas. Complete the following table, explaining how the quotations illustrate the poet’s reflective process.

Details/quotations Explanation/effect 1. ‘I count as gain’   2. ‘he displaced more than water’ 3. ‘he shoggled me/Centuries back’ 4. ‘this decadent townee’ 5. ‘Swish up the dirt and, when it settles, a spring/Is all the clearer’ 6. ‘emerging from the slime of everything’ 7. ‘So who’s the monster?’ 1. On reflection MacCaig feels that he has benefitted from the experience Complete the following table in your poetry booklets, explaining how the quotations illustrate the poet’s reflective process 10 minutes

Details/quotations Explanation/effect ‘I count as gain’   ‘he displaced more than water’ ‘he shoggled me/Centuries back’ ‘this decadent townee’ ‘Swish up the dirt and, when it settles, a spring Is all the clearer’  ‘emerging from the slime of everything’ ‘So who’s the monster?’ On reflection MacCaig feels that he has benefitted from the experience The shark is making him think and reflect, he feels ‘displaced’. This word could also suggest discomfort. Makes him think about the evolutionary process, he is deeply shaken (‘shoggled’) by this. He is not in control of this movement. He compares himself to a ‘townee’. He’s used to living in busy places, likes material possessions – lives for luxury and enjoyment. This makes the situation even more shocking for him. This is a far cry from early man’s quest for survival. Suddenly he sees his position in evolution much more clearly. He realises his origins are shared with the shark as well as other living creatures. He compares himself to the shark’s origins. Like the shark, the poet as emerged from the slime. The word slime emphasises the baseness of our beginnings. This experience forces him to question if he is also ‘the monster’. He questions himself, is he really a superior being? Forces him to see the shark in a new way. Ms Kirkwood