Academic Writing

A poetry explication is a relatively short analysis which describes how a poem works by examiningthe relationships of its structures, language, tropes and schemes. Analysis means examining the pieces to understand how things work as a whole. It is like taking apart a piece of machinery to see how it works. You will not need to use critical sources to write this essay. However, you might find it helpful to consult a glossary. Write a 1000-word explication essay in which you analyse ‘Life Cycle of an Eel’ by Sarah Holland-Batt. Criteria: 1. Analysis of form and structure (25%) 2. Analysis of language (25%) 3. Interpretation of overall meaning (25%) 4. Writing mechanics (25%)  Life Cycle of an Eel A flash like silver cufflinks ribbons off into river grass: a fluid lick of nickel, the sidle and slather of eel. Eyes flat as dishpans and night-sweat slick, it flutters out of its den in slow ouroboros, a struggling lasso of almost human skin. No beauty is quite like the fan and fluting of glass it spawns in the reeds, a trail of clear jelly streamers riding the gulf stream to the Sargasso Sea. Its accent is Scots: elves, corruption of eel-fair. Sexless, according to Aristotle, born of the slime of sea rocks or guts of wet soil. Tonight I thought I saw a silvering eel climb out of a country stream and snake through the soaked grass: migrant of the seas, line and vector stretching in a single direction, its head lifted towards me like an omen, unknowable, knowing.