The phrase “living death” in a literary work is an example_____________

Step 1: Analyze the question The phrase "living death" joins two words that seem to contradict each other: "living" (alive) and "death" (not alive). We need to name the figure of speech that does this.

Step 2: Explain the concept

• Synecdoche: a part represents the whole, or the whole represents a part (e.g., "All hands on deck" for sailors).
• Prose: ordinary written language, not a figure of speech.
• Oxymoron: a figure of speech that places two contradictory terms side by side to create a striking effect (e.g., "deafening silence", "bitter sweet", "cruel kindness").
• Aside: a dramatic device in which a character speaks their thoughts directly to the audience, unheard by the other characters.

Step 3: Apply to the phrase "Living death" pairs two opposites: life and death. This is a contradiction in terms used to express a deeper meaning, such as a life of misery or a hopeless existence that feels like death. That is exactly how an oxymoron works.

It is not synecdoche because no part stands for a whole. It is not prose because that is a form of writing, not a figure of speech. It is not an aside because that is a speech convention in drama.

Step 4: Answer The phrase "living death" is an example of an oxymoron, which is option C.

Exam tip: Remember that oxy means "sharp" and moron means "dull" in Greek, so the word itself is an oxymoron. When you see two opposite ideas joined in one phrase (e.g., "open secret", "deafening silence", "living death"), think oxymoron.