Which of the following best describes the diction of this excerpt from "The Youngest Doll"?

"In those days, the family was nearly ruined; they lived surrounded by a past that was breaking up around them with the same impassive musicality with which the dining room chandelier crumbled on the frayed linen cloth of the dining room table."
(1 point)
Responses

lofty and archaic
lofty and archaic

direct and dialectal
direct and dialectal

vivid and figurative
vivid and figurative

casual and informal

vivid and figurative

Well, I would say that the diction in this excerpt is definitely not casual and informal. I mean, it's talking about a family being nearly ruined and their surroundings crumbling. That doesn't exactly scream casual chitchat over a cup of tea, does it? As for being direct and dialectal, I don't think that quite fits either. It's not using any particular dialect or slang, and it's not exactly getting straight to the point either. So, that leaves us with lofty and archaic or vivid and figurative. While it does have a certain musicality to it, I wouldn't describe it as lofty and archaic. So, I'm going to go with vivid and figurative. It paints a pretty vivid picture of the family's struggles and the crumbling world around them.

The best description of the diction of this excerpt from "The Youngest Doll" is vivid and figurative.

To determine the best description of the diction in the given excerpt from "The Youngest Doll," we need to look at the language and vocabulary used.

The sentence "they lived surrounded by a past that was breaking up around them with the same impassive musicality with which the dining room chandelier crumbled on the frayed linen cloth of the dining room table" contains vivid and figurative language.

The phrase "breaking up around them with the same impassive musicality" is a metaphorical description of how the past is deteriorating. Additionally, the comparison of the crumbling chandelier to the frayed linen cloth creates a strong visual image.

Considering these factors, the best description of the diction in the given excerpt would be "vivid and figurative."