MCQs on Literary Devices with answers

1. What is an example of an oxymoron?

A) Bitter-sweet
B) Jumping over
C) Slowly running
D) Loud silence

2. Which of the following is an example of alliteration?

A) The wild winds whistled through the trees.
B) The dog barked loudly.
C) The sun set over the mountains.
D) The river flowed swiftly.

3. What literary device is used in the phrase "The waves kissed the shore"?
A) Personification
B) Onomatopoeia
C) Metaphor
D) Simile

4. What is the term for a reference to another text or a historical event?

A) Allegory
B) Allusion
C) Hyperbole
D) Paradox

5. What is the definition of a "metaphor"?

A) A comparison using "like" or "as"
B) An exaggerated statement
C) A figure of speech that refers to one thing as another
D) A story that represents a moral or political situation

6. Which of the following sentences uses a simile?

A) Her eyes were like sparkling diamonds.
B) He was a lion in battle.
C) The wind howled through the trees.
D) The day was long and boring.

7. What is the term for an extreme exaggeration?

A) Irony
B) Hyperbole
C) Synecdoche
D) Symbolism
8. What does "imagery" refer to in literature?
A) The use of metaphors
B) Descriptive language that appeals to the senses
C) The structure of a poem
D) Repetition of a phrase for effect

9. What type of irony is illustrated in the following example: "A fire station burns down"?
A) Verbal irony
B) Situational irony
C) Dramatic irony
D) Cosmic irony

10. What is an example of personification?

A) The cat's eyes glowed like emeralds.
B) The flowers danced in the breeze.
C) His heart raced with excitement.
D) The mountain was towering over us.

11. Which of the following is an example of a pun?

A) Time flies like an arrow.
B) She had a heart of gold.
C) A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
D) The stars were shining brightly.

12. Which of the following is a type of allusion?

A) A reference to a famous historical event
B) A phrase that expresses emotion
C) A statement that contradicts itself
D) A comparison of two unlike things

13. What is the term for when a part of something represents the whole?
A) Metonymy
B) Synecdoche
C) Allegory
D) Hyperbole

14. Which of the following is an example of assonance?

A) "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain."
B) "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
C) "The big black bug bit the big black bear."
D) "How now, brown cow?"

15. What is the definition of "juxtaposition"?

A) The use of contradictory terms
B) The placement of two things side by side for comparison
C) A question that does not require an answer
D) Repeating a word or phrase for emphasis

16. What is an example of a symbol?

A) A dove representing peace
B) A king representing power
C) A lion representing bravery
D) All of the above

17. What is the purpose of an epiphany in literature?

A) To create suspense
B) To introduce a major conflict
C) To present a moment of sudden realization
D) To resolve the plot

18. Which of the following is an example of understatement?

A) "I have a little bit of work to do" (when the work is overwhelming).
B) "He is the smartest person I know."
C) "The ocean is just a bit wet."
D) "This is the best book ever written."

19. What is the term for a story that has a hidden meaning, often moral or political?
A) Allegory
B) Parable
C) Fable
D) Paradox

20. What is a "chiasmus"?

A) A reversed or mirrored structure of phrases or clauses
B) A sudden shift in tone or subject
C) A type of rhyme scheme
D) A brief, catchy statement of truth

Answers to the 20 literary device MCQs:

1. What is an example of an oxymoron?

Answer: A) Bitter-sweet

2. Which of the following is an example of alliteration?

Answer: A) The wild winds whistled through the trees.
3. What literary device is used in the phrase "The waves kissed the shore"?
Answer: A) Personification

4. What is the term for a reference to another text or a historical event?

Answer: B) Allusion

5. What is the definition of a "metaphor"?

Answer: C) A figure of speech that refers to one thing as another

6. Which of the following sentences uses a simile?

Answer: A) Her eyes were like sparkling diamonds.

7. What is the term for an extreme exaggeration?

Answer: B) Hyperbole

8. What does "imagery" refer to in literature?

Answer: B) Descriptive language that appeals to the senses

9. What type of irony is illustrated in the following example: "A fire station burns down"?
Answer: B) Situational irony

10. What is an example of personification?

Answer: B) The flowers danced in the breeze.

11. Which of the following is an example of a pun?

Answer: C) A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

12. Which of the following is a type of allusion?

Answer: A) A reference to a famous historical event

13. What is the term for when a part of something represents the whole?
Answer: B) Synecdoche

14. Which of the following is an example of assonance?

Answer: A) "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain."

15. What is the definition of "juxtaposition"?

Answer: B) The placement of two things side by side for comparison

16. What is an example of a symbol?

Answer: D) All of the above

17. What is the purpose of an epiphany in literature?

Answer: C) To present a moment of sudden realization
18. Which of the following is an example of understatement?
Answer: A) "I have a little bit of work to do" (when the work is overwhelming).

19. What is the term for a story that has a hidden meaning, often moral or political?
Answer: A) Allegory

20. What is a "chiasmus"?

Answer: A) A reversed or mirrored structure of phrases or clauses

Fog

by Carl Sandburg

The fog comes

on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

Analysis:

In this poem, Sandburg personifies the fog, describing it as coming "on little cat feet," which
evokes a sense of quietness and grace. The fog is not described as a forceful or threatening
presence but rather something gentle and sneaky, like a cat. The phrase "sits looking" implies
that the fog takes its time, observing the city and harbor before quietly drifting away. The poem’s
imagery helps create a soft, tranquil mood, emphasizing the transient nature of fog as it "moves
on" without leaving a trace.

Carl Sandburg’s poem "Fog" is known for its use of various literary devices that enhance its
imagery and meaning. Here are some key devices used in the poem:

1. Personification:
o Sandburg personifies fog, treating it like an animal or a person. For instance, "The
fog comes / On little cat feet." By describing the fog as having "cat feet," he gives
it a graceful, quiet, and almost mysterious character.
2. Metaphor:
o The entire poem is a metaphor, as the fog is compared to a cat. The fog is not
literally a cat, but this comparison helps convey the idea of the fog moving
silently and softly, like a cat.
3. Imagery:
 o The poem is rich in imagery, particularly visual and tactile. "The fog comes / On
little cat feet" conjures a picture of a soft, quiet presence moving in. The
simplicity of the image draws the reader's attention to the delicate, unnoticed
nature of fog.
4. Alliteration:
o The repetition of consonant sounds helps create rhythm and musicality. For
example, "cat feet" and "comes" both contain soft consonants that mirror the
gentle movement of fog.
5. Simplicity:
o Though not a "formal" literary device, Sandburg’s use of simple, everyday
language is itself an artistic choice. The plainness of the language mirrors the
understated, almost unnoticed presence of the fog.
6. Symbolism:
o The fog may symbolize mystery, uncertainty, or something transient. Its brief,
quiet arrival and departure suggest the ephemeral nature of time, moods, or
events.

These devices together create an evocative and calm portrayal of the fog, which is both physical
and symbolic in its presence.

Poetic Devices:
Poem: Depths
1. Metaphor:
o The speaker compares themselves to an ocean. "I am an entire ocean"
metaphorically suggests that the speaker is vast, deep, and complex—much like
the ocean itself. It conveys a sense of self that is beyond full comprehension by
others.
2. Personification:
o The speaker personifies the ocean by equating their identity with it. The ocean
here is symbolic of the speaker’s inner world and emotions, giving the ocean
human-like qualities to represent complex feelings and thoughts.
3. Imagery:
o There is strong visual imagery in the lines: "standing on the sand," "treat my tide,"
and "dipped a toe." These create vivid pictures that evoke both the physical act of
being at the ocean and the emotional or intellectual act of trying to understand
someone.
4. Contrast:
o The contrast between the ocean and the sand is significant. The sand represents
the surface, the shallow understanding of the speaker, while the ocean represents
the deep, intricate nature of the speaker that cannot be fully grasped by just
standing on the shore (or superficially engaging with them).
5. Allusion:
 o "Tide" alludes to the natural ebb and flow of the ocean, which can symbolize
fluctuating emotions, moods, or states of being. This gives a deeper, symbolic
meaning to the idea of “treating the tide.”
6. Hyperbole:
o The statement “I am an entire ocean” is hyperbolic, emphasizing the speaker’s
enormity and complexity. It exaggerates the speaker’s nature to show they cannot
be easily understood or categorized.
7. Rhetorical Question:
o “When you think you can see all of me / Just by standing on the sand” and “You
cannot tell me who to be / Or how to treat my tide” are rhetorical questions that
challenge the reader or the addressed person. They emphasize the failure to fully
understand the speaker or their inner complexity.
8. Symbolism:
o The ocean symbolizes the speaker’s vast emotional or psychological depth, while
the sand symbolizes the shallow understanding of others. Tides symbolize the
fluctuating, often unpredictable aspects of the speaker’s inner life.
9. Tone:
o The tone of the poem is one of defiance and assertion. The speaker is expressing
frustration with those who try to reduce their complexity to something superficial
or easily understood. There's a sense of challenge in the way the speaker rejects
being underestimated or simplified.
10. Repetition:

 The repetition of “I am” in the first line ("I am an entire ocean") serves to emphasize the
speaker’s assertion of their identity and individuality. The repeated idea of
"understanding" and "being understood" builds the central conflict of the poem.

Short Questions on the Poem: DEPTHS

1. What does the metaphor "I am an entire ocean" suggest about the speaker?
o This metaphor suggests that the speaker is vast, complex, and difficult to fully
understand, much like the ocean.
2. Why is the image of "standing on the sand" significant?
o "Standing on the sand" symbolizes a shallow understanding of the speaker, as the
sand represents only the surface and not the deep, inner complexity of the ocean
(the speaker).
3. How does the speaker feel about others trying to understand them?
o The speaker feels frustrated and defiant. They believe that others cannot truly
understand them unless they dive deeper, as symbolized by “dipping a toe” into
the ocean, representing a deeper engagement with their inner self.
4. What is the significance of "tide" in the poem?
o The "tide" symbolizes the fluctuating emotions or states of the speaker. The
reference to "treating my tide" implies that others have no right to dictate how the
speaker’s emotions or internal world should behave.
 5. Why does the speaker say, “You have never dipped a toe / Into who I am inside”?
o The speaker emphasizes that others have never made a genuine effort to
understand them deeply, suggesting that surface-level observations are
insufficient to know them fully.
6. What do the lines "You cannot tell me who to be / Or how to treat my tide" express
about the speaker’s autonomy?
o These lines express the speaker’s assertion of their autonomy and refusal to let
others define them or control their emotional responses. The speaker wants to be
understood on their own terms, not as others wish them to be.

Literary Devices:

POEM :Words are Wands by Clare Harner

1. Metaphor:
o The phrase "I am the day transcending night" is a metaphor, where the speaker
compares their spirit to the transition from day to night. This suggests that death is
not an end but a transformation, as day transcends night, symbolizing life
continuing after physical death.
2. Repetition:
o The repetition of the phrase "I am" emphasizes the speaker's ongoing presence
and existence. This repetition reinforces the idea that the speaker has not truly
died but is present in a different form.
3. Imperative Mood:
o The line "Do not stand / By my grave, and cry" uses an imperative, or command,
encouraging the reader not to mourn or grieve. It suggests that there is no need for
sorrow, as the speaker is not truly gone.
4. Personification:
o The poem personifies "day" and "night" in that day is depicted as something that
"transcends" night. This adds to the metaphor of the speaker's spirit transcending
death and continuing on in a different form.
5. Contradiction/Irony:
o The statement "I am not there / I did not die" presents an ironic contradiction to
the conventional idea of death. The speaker is not physically present in a grave,
and yet they are still asserting their existence, suggesting a life beyond physical
death.
6. Symbolism:
o The line "I am the day transcending night" uses the symbolism of day and night.
Day can symbolize life, hope, or spiritual awakening, while night can represent
death or the unknown. The transition from night to day symbolizes the continuity
of life beyond death.
7. Tone:
o The tone of the lines is reassuring and comforting. The speaker’s assertion that "I
did not die" provides a sense of peace, urging the reader to view death not as an
end, but as a transformation into a different state of being.
Short Questions:

1. What is the significance of the line "I am the day transcending night"?
o This line suggests that the speaker's spirit continues beyond death, much like the
way day follows and transcends night. It implies a cycle of life and death, where
one leads to the other, but life continues in a different form.
2. What does the speaker mean when they say "I did not die"?
o The speaker is expressing that while their physical body may have died, their
essence, spirit, or presence still exists in another form, such as in nature or the
world around us.
3. Why does the speaker tell the reader "Do not stand / By my grave, and cry"?
o The speaker is reassuring the reader not to mourn or grieve because they are not
truly gone. Instead of focusing on their grave, the speaker urges the reader to
understand that they live on in another form, suggesting that death is not to be
feared or mourned.
4. How does the line "I am not there" contribute to the theme of the poem?
o The line "I am not there" reinforces the idea that the speaker's physical presence
is gone, but their spirit or essence lives on. It contributes to the theme that death
does not mean the end, but rather a continuation of life in another form.
5. What is the effect of the speaker using the imperative form in "Do not stand / By my
grave, and cry"?
o The imperative form adds a sense of urgency or authority to the speaker’s words.
It emphasizes the speaker’s desire for the reader not to mourn, further supporting
the comforting tone of the poem that encourages acceptance of death as a natural
part of life.
6. What is the overall message of these lines about life and death?
o The overall message is that death is not an end but a transition. The speaker's
spirit continues to exist beyond the grave, and they urge the reader to not focus on
mourning but to accept that life transcends physical death.

These devices and questions help explore the poem’s themes of spiritual transcendence, the
continuity of life, and the peaceful acceptance of death as part of a larger cycle.