How would he explain it to himself? exemplifies________

Analyze the question: The sentence "How would he explain it to himself?" is a question. We need to identify the literary device it represents.

Explain the concept:

• Hyperbole: deliberate exaggeration for effect (e.g., "I've told you a million times").
• Parallelism: repetition of similar grammatical structures (e.g., "Easy come, easy go").
• Rhetorical question: a question asked to make a point or to provoke thought, not to get an answer.
• Understatement: deliberately making something seem less important than it is.

Step-by-step solution:

1. The sentence is phrased as a question, so the device involves questioning.
2. There is no exaggeration, so it is not hyperbole.
3. There is no repeated grammatical pattern, so it is not parallelism.
4. It doesn't downplay anything, so it is not understatement.
5. The question is not really seeking an answer. It conveys the character's inner conflict, suggesting he has no good explanation for what he has done or experienced. This is the mark of a rhetorical question.

Answer: The correct option is C. Rhetorical question.

Exam tip: In Literature in English, when a question is posed in a text without an expected reply, think "rhetorical question." Its purpose is usually to stress a point, show a character's thoughts, or provoke reflection. Remember: Rhetorical = effect, not an answer.