Question

Which type of figurative language is used in the following excerpt?

"I must have stared upon it for near half a minute, sunk as I was in the mere stupidity of wonder, before terror woke up in my breast as sudden and startling as the crash of cymbals . . ."



A. Allusion
B. Metaphor
C. Simile
D. Hyperbole

Answer 1

Simile

A simile is a comparison between two things using like or as. The simile is at the end of the excerpt when the speaker describes how the wonder shook him to the way cymbals crashing would startle him. Since two different things are being compared using the word "as" it is a simile.

An allusion is a reference to another published work. For example if a person setting two people on a blind date is called Cupid. A metaphor is a comparison between two different things without using like or as. A hyperbole is an over exaggeration.

Answer 2

C). Simile

Step-by-step explanation:

A simile is the figure of speech that proposes a comparison between two things in an interesting way with the use of words 'like' and 'as'. It is one of the most commonly employed figurative devices in literary writing as it glows the readers' minds by offering an interesting correlation between things. Thus, the figurative device reflected in this excerpt is 'simile' as it compares 'terror' to 'crash of cymbals' with the use of the word 'as'. Had there 'as' not mentioned, then it would have been a metaphor. Since it compares with the use of 'as', thus, option C is the correct answer.