Identify the figurative language used in the following quote: “[He] instructed his hidden hunters.”
Idiom
personification
allusion
alliteration
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is personification.
Personification is a form of figurative language where human qualities are attributed to non-human things or abstract concepts. In this case, the phrase “his hidden hunters” suggests that the hunters, while being human or perhaps animals, are imbued with qualities of stealth or hiddenness in a way that typically isn’t applied to real hunters in such an abstract manner. The word “hidden” is metaphorically enhancing the notion of their role in this context, giving them human-like secrecy or a purposeful plan, as if they have agency and intention.
The figurative phrase “instructed his hidden hunters” suggests a level of planning or guiding that personifies the hunters. They’re not simply following instinct; they are being directed, almost as if they have consciousness beyond the typical “hunting” behavior.
Personification allows for the enhancement of imagery and deepens the emotional connection to the description. It can turn ordinary objects or creatures into something more vivid and important to the storyline. In this instance, the phrase elevates the hunters, making them seem like instruments of a greater strategy, their role and potential more significant in the narrative. This gives the scene a sense of suspense or intrigue, as we are led to believe that these “hunters” are far from typical.
In contrast, idioms are phrases where the meaning is different from the literal interpretation (like “kick the bucket” meaning to die). Allusion involves referring to a well-known work or idea, and alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, neither of which apply here. Therefore, personification is the most fitting explanation for the figurative language used in this quote.