Question

"Listen! you hear the grating roar

Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,
At the return, up the high strand,
Begin, and cease, and then again begin,
With tremulous cadence slow, and bring
The eternal note of sadness in."

Which figure of speech is the author using?

A. Oxymoron
B. Simile
C. Personification
D. Hyperbole

Answer 1

C. Personification

Step-by-step explanation:

Personification is a figure of speech that you can find in a piece of writing whenever an object, idea, abstract concept, aspect of nature, emotion or any event is given humans characteristics (such as thinking, talking, playing, throwing a ball, etc.).

Therefore, in the excerpt, the author uses personification as he or she talks about the pebbles and the waves as they were living things who perform actions that are characteristic of humans: The pebbles roar and the waves draw the pebbles back, fling them, return them, and they "Begin, and cease, and then again begin".