The answer is a simile. This is because similes compare two things (these things here are his life and the dusty yards) by using like or as (specifically here as).
The other ones don't make sense: nothing is being over exaggerated (hyperbole), there are no repeating consonants (alliteration), and there are no human characteristics being given to inhuman subjects (personification).
Hey there,
Acrid, piercing, acute, and keen are all synonyms of the word pungent. The word pungent id an adjective and based on my research, this word means "having a sharp and strong taste of smell".
~Jurgen
Both use flashback to provide crucial background to the characters' situation
