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Read the poem below and then answer the questions that follow - NSC English HL - Question 5 - 2017 - Paper 2
Question 5
Read the poem below and then answer the questions that follow. 'EXODUS' – Don Maclennan The sun has wrecked another day pawing ash and dust into the sky: ow evenin... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Read the poem below and then answer the questions that follow - NSC English HL - Question 5 - 2017 - Paper 2
Step 1
Step 2
Refer to line 5: 'a wild, erratic exodus of bats'. Describe how the line contributes to the mood in the second stanza.
Answer
The mood is chaotic/ Frenzied because of the sudden activity of the bats as they leave the cave. Their movements appear to be unpredictable and uncontrolled, creating a sense of liveliness and urgency in the atmosphere.
Step 3
Refer to lines 14–15: 'They've hung like foetuses all day/in iron darkness'. Comment on the appropriateness of the imagery in these lines.
Answer
The bats are suspended upside down from the roof of the cave, similar to foetuses. This imagery highlights the precarious position in the darkness of their caves, which are like wombs. The 'iron darkness' suggests that the darkness is impenetrable and enveloping.
Step 4
Refer to lines 17–20: 'Skinny little birds … crammed with manna'. Critically discuss how these lines convey the speaker's attitude towards the bats.
Answer
The description, 'skinny little birds of death' conveys an unfavorable impression of the bats. The speaker has a disparaging attitude towards the bats, regarding them as repulsive creatures. They are opportunistic, taking advantage of the darkness to prey on the vulnerable.