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Difficulty: MediumLiterary Devices and Figurative Language

Consider the following excerpt from a prose text:

"The iron gates groaned in protest as the heavy boots of the approaching soldiers echoed down the deserted alleyway."

In the excerpt above, what figure of speech is used in the phrase "iron gates groaned in protest"?

  1. PersonificationAnswer
  2. B
    Synecdoche
  3. C
    Apostrophe
  4. D
    Oxymoron

Answer

Personification
The expression describes iron gates as though they possess human feelings and vocal reactions capable of groaning in protest. Endowing inanimate objects with human qualities is the precise definition of personification.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the target phrase 'iron gates groaned in protest'.
Identify that an inanimate object ('iron gates') is described as carrying out human vocal and emotional responses ('groaned in protest').
Literary devices are identified by analyzing how descriptive elements relate to their subjects.
2
Match this figurative technique with standard literary definitions.
Assigning human feelings, expressions, or behaviors to non-human entities defines personification.
This directly fulfills the definition of personification.

Key Concept

Personification in Context
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Literary Devices and Figurative Language

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