"Human speech is like a cracked cauldron on which we bang out tunes that make bears dance, when we want to move the stars to pity." -Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary, 1856
The quote above is an example of a(n):
A. simile
B. alliteration
C. irony
D. metaphor
"is like a . . ."
Which of your examples uses "like" or "as?"
simile
To determine the correct answer, we need to analyze the quote and identify the literary device being used. In this quote, Gustave Flaubert compares human speech to a cracked cauldron. He states that human speech is like a cracked cauldron, "on which we bang out tunes that make bears dance, when we want to move the stars to pity." By using this comparison, Flaubert is using figurative language to convey a deeper meaning.
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things using "like" or "as," so it does not fit the quote.
Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. There is no repetition of sounds or letters in the quote, so alliteration is not being used.
Irony is the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning. There is no contradiction between the literal meaning and the intended meaning in the quote, so irony is not being used.
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. In the quote, Flaubert is directly comparing human speech to a cracked cauldron, indicating that human speech is like a cracked cauldron. Therefore, the correct answer is D. metaphor.