Question

Which figurative language device does Baldwin use to emphasize the rage buried beneath his father’s outward appearance and actions? He uses the personification “at the mercy of his pride.” He uses the alliteration “conveyed by his carriage.” He uses the metaphor “presence in his home to be a violation.” He uses the paradox “vindictively polite.”

Answer 1

Before answering the question, it is convenient to mention that James Baldwin was a Black writer in the decade of the 50s and even though there were other Negro Writers in the literary world, they all suffered from racisms and social prosecution, the novel “Notes of a native Son” is close to an autobiography assembled from essays James Baldwin had written. In the novel the author intends to depict the hatred black people had to suffer at that time.

The figurative device that Baldwin uses to emphasize the rage buried beneath his father's outward appearance and actions is:

The paradox “vindictively polite.”

Here the word "vindictive" is expressing the inner rage that was beneath his father outward appearance, and the word "polite" expresses the overt emotions or actions.