Match each literary passage from African and classic literary traditions with the primary figure of speech it demonstrates.
- Fifty hands worked tirelessly from dawn to clear the thick brush around the chief's compound.Synecdoche
- Upon receiving news of his crop failure, the old farmer remarked that he was not a little distressed.Litotes
- The crown issued an immediate decree ordering all provincial chiefs to assemble at the palace.Metonymy
- In the quiet solemnity of the ritual, the dying warrior proclaimed that his end was but a commencement of true life.Paradox
Answer
Fifty hands... matches Synecdoche; ...not a little distressed matches Litotes; The crown issued... matches Metonymy; ...end was but a commencement... matches Paradox.
Each literary excerpt is correctly paired based on precise figurative definitions: using a body part for laborers is synecdoche; negating a negative for emphasis is litotes; substituting a symbol of authority for the ruler is metonymy; and juxtaposing death/end as a beginning is paradox.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Literary Devices and Figurative Language