I would ask them both what color that I'm wearing and whichever one tells the truth, I'll ask which door they're standing in front of.
The answer is most likely "increased popularity" or "less negative press"
Figurative language is most common in poetry, but poetry does not always explore thought in a concise way, more often it tried to convey a feeling or an impression than treats the subject in detail.
Therefore I would choose a "novel" - it can use figurative language (unlike exploratory essay), but it also deals with ideas and thought is a profound, comprehensive way (but note that some poems will also do that!)