Read the passage excerpt below:
"Despite repeated warnings from maritime safety regulators, the port authority dispatched the aging vessel into the gathering storm, characterizing the voyage as an exercise in peaceful chaos."
Which of the following best captures the figure of speech and contextual meaning of the expression "peaceful chaos"?
- It is an oxymoron emphasizing the contradictory attempt to portray a hazardous and disorderly voyage as manageable.Answer
- BIt is a hyperbole suggesting that the weather conditions during the voyage were completely calm and serene.
- CIt is a metaphor describing a completely tranquil environment where no disruption could possibly occur.
- DIt is a simile demonstrating that the port authority intentionally plotted the destruction of the ship.
Answer
The expression 'peaceful chaos' is an oxymoron that highlights the contradictory attempt to present a dangerous and unstable journey as controlled or manageable.
The correct response accurately identifies the figure of speech as an oxymoron because 'peaceful' and 'chaos' are contradictory terms placed together. In context, it reflects how the port authority attempted to minimize the severe risk of sending a vessel into a storm by wrapping a dangerous reality in reassuring language.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Figurative Language and Figures of Speech in Context