The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct figure of speech used in this text is idiom.
An idiom is a common phrase or expression whose figurative meaning is culturally understood and cannot be deduced from the literal definitions of the individual words. The power of an idiom lies in its ability to convey a complex idea in a short, vivid way.
The phrase in question from the quote is “to sweep them under the rug.” When Bill Condon says that some people try to sweep problems under the rug, he is not suggesting a literal act of cleaning. It is physically impossible to use a broom to push an abstract concept like a “problem” underneath a carpet. Instead, he is using a well known idiom. The figurative meaning of “to sweep something under the rug” is to hide, conceal, or ignore something difficult or embarrassing, with the hope that it will not be discovered or will be forgotten over time. The phrase effectively communicates the idea of avoiding responsibility and refusing to confront an issue.
This expression is not an example of the other figures of speech listed. Personification involves giving human qualities or actions to inanimate objects or abstract concepts. While one could argue that “problems emerge” is a mild form of personification, the most prominent and defining figure of speech in the sentence is the idiom. The quote does not describe problems as having human-like traits. Furthermore, it is not an allusion, which is an indirect reference to a famous person, place, literary work, or historical event. The phrase “sweep them under the rug” is a general, common expression, not a specific reference.
Therefore, the text uses an idiom to concisely describe the human tendency to ignore difficulties rather than solve them.
