Question

Read the excerpt from "Sympathy" by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Then, answer the question that follows.

I know what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,

Which sound device is illustrated in the bolded text?

Alliteration
Assonance
Consonance
Slant rhyme

Answer 1

Answer: B. Assonance

Explanation: Assonance is a literary device that involves the repetition of vowel sounds within a line or stanza of poetry. In this case, the assonance is seen in the repetition of the "i" sound in the words "bright," "on," "slopes," "wind," "stirs," and "springing." The repeated "i" sound creates a musical quality and rhythm in the poem.