Question

Identify the figure of speech in the following sentence:
The road to success is usually a difficult and dangerous road to take.
a) personification
b) simile
c) metaphor
d) synecdoche

Answer 1

Hint: The given sentence does not contain the words ‘like’ and ‘as’ and it makes a direct comparison between two things. This will help you narrow down the options.

Complete answer:
A figure of speech is a word/phrase that has a completely separate meaning from its literal definition. Figures of speech are often fantastical and dreamy, so, they are mostly used in artistic avenues, i.e. in movies, literature, and poetry.

Let’s look at the given sentence: “The road to success is usually a difficult and dangerous road to take” refers to the way to success being a difficult and dangerous road. The meaning that it lends itself is that success is difficult to attain. Here, a direct comparison is being made between ‘road to success’ and ‘difficult and dangerous road’. The comparison is direct because there is no insinuation, it is presented as a fact.

Now, we know the meaning of the sentence. Let’s examine our options-
a) personification - Personification gives human qualities to non-living things or ideas. There are no human qualities being attributed to the road to success in the given sentence. It is not personification. So, this is an incorrect option.
b) simile - A simile is an indirect comparison between two unlike things using the words “like” or “as”. However, there is a direct comparison in the given sentence, so, it cannot be a simile. So, this is an incorrect option.
c) metaphor - A metaphor makes a direct comparison between two, unlike things or ideas. There is a direct comparison in the given sentence. So, the figure of speech is a metaphor. So, this is the correct option.
d) synecdoche - Synecdoche occurs when a part is represented by the whole or, conversely, the whole is represented by the part. There are no quantities being substituted for a whole, or vice versa. It is not a synecdoche. So, this is an incorrect option.

Note:
 Try to look for things that are specific to one particular figure of speech. Then, try to understand what the sentence means. This will lead you to the correct option.