Final answer:
The graphic and vivid description in the passage is an example of imagery, a literary device that appeals to the senses of the reader and helps in visualizing the scene.
Step-by-step explanation:
The excerpt described is best characterized as an example of imagery. Imagery is a literary device that appeals directly to the senses of the reader, often through detailed and vivid language, as seen in the intense and graphic depiction of the action in the passage provided. It enables readers to visualize scenes more vividly in their imaginations, thereby engaging them in the narrative.