Final answer:
In literature, the word 'replace' can be used to switch a term or phrase while keeping the original meaning intact. Authors use such literary devices like symbolism and reflection in works to portray broader societal critiques and character analysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
To convey the idea expressed in the phrase, 'The negative diction suggests how people appear in that society, looking sick and despondent', one could choose the option c) Replace. The word replace suggests taking out the original term or phrase and substituting it with a new one that maintains the same meaning. In literature, authors often use symbolism and diction to reflect societal values and inner turmoil, as seen in works such as Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, where Hester Prynne is represented as a 'black shadow emerging.' This imagery is used to comment on both her character and the society at large, revealing the darkness present in both. Likewise, in Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, the physical reflection in the tarn is a literary device used to symbolize both the physical and psychological decay afflicting the characters and, metaphorically, humanity itself.