What literary devices are used in "One Thousand Dollars"?
O. Henry's "One Thousand Dollars" uses many different literary devices.
1. Alliteration- Alliteration is the repetition of a consonant sound (typically) within a line of poetry. This is used to bring forth a sing-song aspect in the line of poetry or text. An example of alliteration is found in the first sentence of the text where "solemnly and severely."
2. Assonance- Assonance is similar to alliteration. Instead of repeating a consonant sound within a line of poetry or sentence, assonance repeats a vowel sound. An example of assonance appears in the third sentence of the text where "gave a decidedly amused laugh as" repeats the "a" sound.Assonance also appears in the fifth line when "awkward amount" appears. Again, the "a" sound is repeated.
3. Metaphor - A metaphor is a comparison made between two, or more, typically different things. An example of a metaphor in the...
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text appears in the following:
"I thought," said Old Bryson, showing as much
interest as a bee shows in a vinegar cruet, "that the
late Septimus Gillian was worth something like half
a million."
The comparison between Old Bryson and a bee provides a metaphor.
Another example of a metaphor appears when Uncle is compared to the fairy-godmother.
"Tons," said Gillian. "Uncle was the fairy god-
mother as far as an allowance was concerned."