The Tell-Tale Heart Figurative Language

Front

"The disease had sharpened my senses-not destroyed-not dulled them."

Back

Personification

Answer explanation

The phrase "sharpened my senses" attributes human-like qualities to the disease, suggesting it enhances perception. This is an example of personification, as it gives the disease the ability to affect senses in a human manner.

Front

What literary device is used in the phrase "...it (the idea) haunted me day and night."?

Back

Personification

Answer explanation

The phrase "haunted me day and night" attributes human-like qualities to the idea, suggesting it can affect emotions and thoughts, which is a clear example of personification.

Front

"He had the eye of a vulture-a pale, blue eye..."

Back

Metaphor

Answer explanation

The phrase "He had the eye of a vulture" compares his eye to that of a vulture, suggesting a direct equivalence rather than using 'like' or 'as', which would indicate a simile. Thus, it is a metaphor.

Front

"Madmen know nothing."
Options: Idiom, Personification, Hyperbole, Metaphor

Back

Hyperbole

Answer explanation

The phrase "Madmen know nothing" exaggerates the idea that madmen are completely ignorant, which is an example of hyperbole. It emphasizes the extent of their ignorance rather than stating a literal truth.

Front

What literary device is used in the phrase "...for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye."?

Back

Personification

Answer explanation

The phrase "Evil Eye" attributes human-like qualities to an abstract concept, suggesting it has the power to cause distress. This is an example of personification, as it gives life to the idea of an eye that can vex.

Front

"His room was as black as pitch..."

Back

Simile

Answer explanation

The phrase "as black as pitch" compares the darkness of the room to pitch, using 'as' to highlight similarity. This is a clear example of a simile, which directly compares two different things.

Front

"Death, in approaching him, had stalked with his black shadow before him."

Back

Personification

Answer explanation

The phrase describes Death as if it has human-like qualities, such as stalking, which is an example of personification. This literary device attributes human characteristics to non-human entities.

Front

"a single dim ray, like the thread of a spider"

Back

Simile

Answer explanation

The phrase "a single dim ray, like the thread of a spider" uses "like" to compare two different things, which is characteristic of a simile. This makes "simile" the correct choice, as it highlights the similarity between the ray and the thread.

Front

"...chilled the very marrow in my bones..."

Back

Hyperbole

Answer explanation

The phrase "chilled the very marrow in my bones" exaggerates the feeling of fear or coldness, making it a hyperbole. It emphasizes the intensity of the sensation rather than being a literal description.

Front

"a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton"

Back

Simile

Answer explanation

The phrase describes a sound by comparing it to a watch in cotton, using 'as' to highlight the similarity. This is characteristic of a simile, which directly compares two different things.