Question
- What characteristics has the poet given to
the beach in this poem?
- What is the sea doing to the beach?
- Draw the image that you have in mind when
reading this poem.
- Do you think that using metaphors like this
a soft, ripe melon
sliced to a half-moon curve,
having a thick green rind
of jungle growth;
and the sea devours it
with its sharp white teeth.
the beach in this poem?
reading this poem.
a soft, ripe melon
sliced to a half-moon curve,
having a thick green rind
of jungle growth;
and the sea devours it
with its sharp white teeth.
Ask by Dunn Montgomery. in South Africa
Mar 20,2025
Upstudy AI Solution
Tutor-Verified Answer
Answer
- The beach is described as soft and beautiful, like a ripe melon, and surrounded by lush jungle.
- The sea is eroding the beach, comparing its waves to sharp white teeth devouring the land.
- When reading the poem, one imagines a serene beach with soft sands and vibrant greenery, where the sea’s powerful waves clash against the shore.
- Using metaphors like comparing the beach to a melon and the sea to sharp teeth makes the poem vivid and emotionally powerful by highlighting the beach’s beauty and the sea’s destructive force.
Solution
Sign in to Unlock Answers for Free!
A Learning Platform Trusted by Millions of Real Students and Teachers.
Unlock Answered by UpStudy AI and reviewed by a Professional Tutor
Like
Extra Insights
The poet paints the beach as a vibrant, living entity, characterized by its lush, green jungle growth that encases it like a thick rind. The imagery of the ‘soft, ripe melon’ suggests a sense of sweetness and richness in the landscape, making it inviting yet simultaneously vulnerable to the ever-approaching sea. Through this vivid depiction, readers can almost feel the warm sun, hear the gentle waves, and see the lush life thriving near the shoreline.
The sea, in its relentless assault, is portrayed as both a nurturing and destructive force. Described as having ‘sharp white teeth,’ it signifies the power and danger of the ocean as it consumes the beach in its ebb and flow. This powerful metaphor evokes a sense of inevitability, suggesting that while the beach offers life and beauty, it is also subject to the sea’s overpowering presence. The relationship between the two is one of both conflict and harmony, highlighting the dual nature of nature itself.
