Question

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to do die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartanlike as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swatch and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it, whether it is of the devil or of God, and have somewhat hastily concluded that is the chief end of man here to 'glorify God and enjoy him forever." Which literary device is featured in the following lines? "I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartanlike as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swatch and shave close, to drive life into a corner.

A.) parallel structure
B.) synecdoche
C.) imagery
D.) personification
E.) rhetorical question​

Answer 1

The literary device in the provided lines is imagery, enabling readers to visualize the author's intense desire to experience life fully and extract every bit of meaning, akin to sucking the marrow of life and living in a Spartan-like manner.

Step-by-step explanation:

The literary device featured in the lines "I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartanlike as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swatch and shave close, to drive life into a corner" is imagery. This device is used by the author to create a vivid description that appeals to the senses, allowing readers to visualize and feel what the author is describing. In this case, Thoreau uses vivid and forceful language to illustrate his desire to experience life to its fullest, to engage deeply with it, and to extract every bit of substance and meaning from it, much like one would extract marrow from a bone. Additionally, phrases like "live so sturdily and Spartanlike" and "put to rout all that was not life" suggest a deliberate and intense approach to living, which could be inspired by the values and lifestyle of the Spartans known for their simplicity and stoicism.