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Difficulty: HardLiterary Devices, Diction, and Style in Prose

Read the prose extract below:

"In the quiet stillness of the ruined compound, Uncle Nnamdi spoke with a bitter sweetness, recounting the triumphs of a war that had left his household in ashes."

Which literary device is exemplified by the expression "bitter sweetness" in the passage?

  1. OxymoronAnswer
  2. B
    Paradox
  3. C
    Metaphor
  4. D
    Assonance

Answer

Oxymoron
The expression 'bitter sweetness' pairs two inherently contradictory concepts ('bitter' and 'sweetness') side-by-side to convey complex emotions. This immediate juxtaposition of opposing terms defines an oxymoron.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the targeted phrase 'bitter sweetness' within the context of the prose extract.
The phrase consists of two words with directly opposite sensory and emotional meanings placed immediately adjacent to each other.
Identifying the structural arrangement of words is essential to determining the specific literary device used.
2
Compare the structure against definitions of figures of speech.
Juxtaposing two contradictory terms side-by-side (such as 'bitter' and 'sweetness') fits the definition of an oxymoron.
Distinguishing an oxymoron from broader contradictory statements (paradox) relies on noticing that the contradiction occurs at the immediate word level.

Key Concept

Oxymoron in Prose
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Topics

Literary Devices, Diction, and Style in Prose

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