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Which literary device is used to show how people view different classes

User Elen
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Final answer:

The literary device used to show how people view different classes is personification, which can attribute human characteristics to concepts like poverty. Literature and style also reflect society's views on class through narrative perspectives and character portrayal.

Step-by-step explanation:

The literary device used to show how people view different classes is often personification. Personification can bring to life concepts like poverty or wealth, imbuing them with human attributes that reflect societal attitudes toward different social classes. Examples can be found in literary descriptions that depict lower classes in less human terms, as seen in the works from the Hei'an period, or propaganda that conflates classes with monsters, as was done during the Soviet era. Additionally, style, including narrative perspectives and the portrayal of characters, can also play a significant role in conveying class distinctions.

For example, the popular Tang poet Bai Juyi's works made poor people an acceptable literary subject. This literary treatment reflects society's complex and often hierarchical view of different social classes, a view that changes as society evolves. Recognizing this, playwrights and authors adapt their themes to reflect the shift from a focus on the noble class to the middle class and 'self-made men,' highlighting the rise or fall of different social classes over time.

User AndW
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