rattling like leaves in a storm, fear branded on their faces illustrates

Analyzing the question

The line is: "rattling like leaves in a storm, fear branded on their faces." We need to identify the figures of speech in it.

Concept

• Simile: a direct comparison using "like" or "as".
• Metaphor: an implied comparison without "like" or "as"; one thing is described as if it were another.
• Personification: giving human qualities to non-human things or ideas.
• Assonance: repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.

Working through the line

1. "rattling like leaves in a storm": the people are compared to leaves using the word "like". This is a simile.

2. "fear branded on their faces": "branded" is what is done to cattle or slaves with a hot iron. Saying fear is branded on faces implies that fear is a permanent mark burned into the skin. This is an implied comparison with no "like" or "as", so it is a metaphor.

3. Personification? Fear is not given human actions here. It is the object being branded, not the doer of a human act. The people are the ones described as human, so there is no personification.

4. Assonance? There is no clear, deliberate repetition of vowel sounds, so this option is out.

Checking the options

• A. Personification and simile: no personification.
• B. Personification and metaphor: no personification.
• C. Simile and metaphor: both are present.
• D. Assonance and simile: no real assonance.

Exam tip: Look for "like" or "as" first, since that gives you the simile quickly. Then check whether any other phrase describes something as being something else without those words. That is usually a metaphor. Only choose personification if an idea or object actually performs a human action.