Question

question 7 (4 marks)

read the poem extract below.

the harbour hissed and howled all night,
a grey wolf pacing at the shore.
each wave crashed like a slamming door —
too loud, too dark, too full of spite.
the lighthouse stood, a single bone,
bleached pale and cold and quite alone.

a) identify and label two different devices used in the extract. underline a short example of each from the poem.
(2 marks) device 1:
device 2:

b) choose one of your identified devices. in 1-2 sentences, explain the effect it creates for the reader.
(2 marks)

Explanation:

Identify poetic devices

We analyze the poem extract to find two distinct poetic devices and their corresponding examples:

• Personification: "The harbour hissed and howled all night" (giving human/animal actions like hissing and howling to a harbour).
• Metaphor: "a grey wolf pacing at the shore" (comparing the harbour/sea directly to a grey wolf without using "like" or "as"), or "The lighthouse stood, a single bone" (comparing the lighthouse directly to a single bone).
• Simile: "Each wave crashed like a slamming door" (comparing the wave's crash to a slamming door using the word "like").
• Alliteration: "harbour hissed and howled" (repetition of the "h" sound).

We will select Simile and Metaphor as two clear, distinct devices.

Select examples to underline

From the poem, the short examples for our chosen devices are:

• Simile: "Each wave crashed like a slamming door"
• Metaphor: "The lighthouse stood, a single bone"

Explain the effect of a device

We choose the Simile ("Each wave crashed like a slamming door") to explain its effect:

• The comparison of the crashing wave to a "slamming door" uses a familiar, sudden, and loud domestic sound.
• This creates a sensory effect of sudden, violent noise and hostility, emphasizing the loud, disruptive, and aggressive nature of the storm.

Alternatively, if we choose the Metaphor ("The lighthouse stood, a single bone"):

• Comparing the lighthouse to a "single bone" evokes feelings of starkness, death, and vulnerability.
• It emphasizes the isolation, whiteness, and fragile yet rigid stance of the lighthouse against the dark, wild elements.

Answer:

Question 7a

• Device 1: Simile
• Example to underline: "Each wave crashed like a slamming door"
• Device 2: Metaphor
• Example to underline: "The lighthouse stood, a single bone"

Question 7b

• Chosen Device: Simile ("Each wave crashed like a slamming door")
• Explanation of Effect: This simile creates a vivid auditory image by comparing the natural sound of the waves to a sudden, violent household noise. It emphasizes the loud, aggressive, and startling power of the sea, making the storm feel hostile and close to the reader.