Question

question 9 of 25
read the following excerpt from dover beach by matthew arnold.
listen! you hear the grating roar
of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,
at their return, up the high strand,
begin, and cease, and then again begin,
with tremulous cadence slow, and bring
the eternal note of sadness in.
which figure of speech is the author using?
a. personification
b. simile
c. hyperbole
d. oxymoron,

Explanation:

Personification is giving human traits to non - human things. In the text, "waves draw back, and fling" gives the waves (non - human) human actions (draw back, fling). A simile uses "like" or "as" (not here). Hyperbole is extreme exaggeration (not here). An oxymoron is a contradiction (not here).

Answer:

A. Personification