Question

what type(s) of rhetorical device(s) are being used, and what is the effect/impact of those devices?
chapter 16, ashes on snow
p. 199 - quentin sped away from the casino. \lord, please, please let this be something minor,\ sherrena prayed, holding on to the door handle as the suburban careered through the back roads that lead to eighteenth street. lifting her head, she fretted, \shame on them...i hope my shit aint burnt to a crisp.\ when quentin tried turning down eighteenth street, he met a roadblock. \already that motherfucker lit up like christmas down here,\ he said.

a
point of view / tone / purpose / pathos:
this example reveals that neither sherrena nor quentin is even thinking about their tenants and their well - being; only their own potential loss of income. in a few paragraphs, we discover that a child has died in the fire. the author attempts to use pathos here (especially with the use of dialogue to present tone and their point of view), perhaps wondering if the reader will feel sorry for sherrena and quentin, which most dont, knowing they will probably profit off the fire in some way via insurance.

b
pathos (emotion) and imagery:
desmond is attempting to paint a picture in the readers mind. one of sherrena and quentins properties was on fire. both are worried about themselves and their building. not one mention of hoping that nobody is harmed. this image is one of the worst things that desmond surrounds the reader becomes worried for the tenants, perhaps even angry at sherrena and quentins reaction to the fire.

Explanation:

To determine the correct option, we analyze the rhetorical devices and their impacts. Option B focuses on Pathos (emotion) and Imagery. The text uses vivid descriptions (e.g., "careered through the back roads", "lit up like Christmas") to create imagery, and the characters' reactions (praying, fretting) evoke emotion (Pathos). The impact is making readers visualize the scene and feel for the tenants or react to the characters’ self - centeredness. Option A’s focus on tenants’ well - being and insurance profit is less about rhetorical devices in the text excerpt (the excerpt is more about the characters’ immediate reactions and scene description). So B better identifies the rhetorical devices (Pathos and Imagery) and their effect.

Answer:

B. Pathos (emotion) and Imagery: Desmond is attempting to paint a picture in the reader’s mind. One of Sherrena and Quentin’s properties was on fire. Both are worried about themselves and their building. Not one mention of hoping that nobody is harmed. This image is one of the worst things that Desmond surrounds the reader becomes worried for the tenants, perhaps even angry at Sherrena and Quentin’s reaction to the fire.