The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is allusion.
An allusion is a literary device used to make a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers. Instead, it is just a passing comment, and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text.
In the sentence, “Sounds like the Arabian Nights,” the speaker, Mrs. White, is making a direct reference to a well-known work of literature. “The Arabian Nights,” also known as “One Thousand and One Nights,” is a famous collection of Middle Eastern folk tales filled with stories of magic, fantasy, and extraordinary adventures. By alluding to this specific work, the character conveys that the situation or story she is hearing is so fantastical, exotic, or unbelievable that it seems to belong in a fairytale. The author uses this reference as a shortcut to create a specific mood or to characterize the events being discussed without needing to use extensive description. The reader’s familiarity with “The Arabian Nights” allows them to immediately understand the intended comparison.
This figure of speech is not personification, as no inanimate object is given human qualities. It is not alliteration, which involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds. It is not a euphemism, which substitutes a mild term for a harsh one. While it uses the word “like,” making it structurally similar to a simile, the core device is the reference to a specific cultural artifact, which defines it most accurately as an allusion. The power of the phrase comes from the shared cultural understanding of what “The Arabian Nights” represents.
