Final answer:
The chief uses the figurative device of personification in line 19, characterizing poverty as 'a formidable enemy' to emphasize the depth of his despair.The correct answer is option (D).
Step-by-step explanation:
The figurative device the chief uses in line 19 to emphasize the depth of his despair is personification. Personification is a literary device where human characteristics are attributed to non-human things. The reference provided suggests that the chief personifies the idea of poverty, describing it as 'a formidable enemy.'
This gives poverty a persona, thereby enhancing the emotional connection and highlighting the struggle against it as a battle against a living adversary. The depth of the chief's despair is thereby communicated through this vivid representation of poverty.
In this context, the use of personification not only evokes sympathy but also paints a more dramatic and tangible picture of the chief's emotions and circumstances, thereby making his experience more relatable and impactful for the reader.