The Sea- Popcorn Analysis and Paragraphing Samples

1 The sea is a hungry dog, 2 Giant and grey. 3 He rolls on the beach all day. 4 With his clashing teeth and shaggy jaws 5 Hour upon hour he gnaws 6 The rumbling, tumbling stones, 7 And 'Bones, bones, bones, bones!' 8 The giant sea-dog moans, 9 Licking his greasy paws. 10 And when the night wind roars 11 And the moon rocks the stormy cloud, 12 He bounds to his feet and snuffs and sniffs, 13 Shaking his wet sides over the cliffs, 14 And howls and hollos long and loud. 15 But on quiet days in May or June, 16 When even the grasses on the dune 17 Play no more their reedy tune, 18 With his head between his paws 19 He lies on the sandy shores, 20 So quiet, so quiet, he scarcely snores.

In his poem, “The Sea,” Paul Reeves describes the ocean as a both a fun and peaceful place by comparing it to a rambunctious dog who is sometimes tired out. The metaphorical dog’s activity and playfulness can be seen as he “rolls on the beach all day” (3), “snuffs and sniffs” (12), and “shakes his wet sides” (13) all of which describe the ocean as constantly moving while connoting the boisterous movement of an active dog. As the poem continues, the metaphorical dog is more tired out on nature’s calmer days as the grass stops playing its “reedy tune” (17), and the metaphorical dog goes to sleep “so quiet[ly]” (20) creating a calm, restful tone.

What is done well and how can we improve this paragraph? The speaker feels as if “the sea is a hungry dog.” The violent waves crash hard onto the shore like the “clashing teeth and shaggy jaws.” The sea goes back and forth “liking his greasy paws,” soaking the sand over and over. The speaker thinks the sea is playful and full of never-ending energy like a dog. When dogs wake up they are full of energy and want to play. When the sun rises the sea is awake and is ready to take on the day. When the sunset comes around the energy of the sea and dog calms down and rests “with his head between his paws.”

Assignment: Rewrite your paragraph Do these things… Keep your quotations short (no more than five words). Write in 3rd person (no “I” or “you”) Include the word connotation or connotes at least once. Indicate line numbers after the quotation. Indicate line breaks with a / For Example: The alliterative softness connoted in “sandy shores/so quiet” (19-20)… As much as possible embed your quotations into your explanation/commentary. For example: The movement of the ocean on the “rumbling, tumbling stones” (6) connotes the infinite motion of the vast sea. Tomorrow, you will staple the new paragraph to the top of the assignment.