Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Figures of speech are literary devices that use language in non-literal ways to create emphasis, imagery, or dramatic effect.
When two entirely contradictory or opposite terms are deliberately placed side-by-side to highlight a striking paradox, the literary device is called an oxymoron.
The goal of an oxymoron is to provoke thought or describe a feeling that is too complex for a single word.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let’s analyze the mechanics of the target phrase ``Deafening silence'' alongside the definitions of the literary figures:
1. Hyperbole: An extreme exaggeration used to add emphasis or humor, not a contradiction (e.g., ``I am so hungry I could eat a horse''). While ``deafening'' is an exaggeration for silence, the main feature is the clash of opposites.
2. Metaphor: A direct comparison between two unrelated things without using comparison words like ``like'' or ``as'' (e.g., ``Time is a thief''). This phrase is not comparing silence to anything; it is describing the silence itself.
3. Oxymoron (Correct): A literary device that couples two completely opposing or conflicting ideas next to each other.
In the phrase ``Deafening silence'', the adjective deafening implies an intensely loud noise, while the noun silence means a total absence of sound.
Placing them together emphasizes an intense, heavy, or uncomfortable quietness that is so profound it feels as overwhelming as a loud noise.
4. Personification: Attributing human characteristics to non-human objects. Neither word here is being treated as a human.
This confirms that the phrase is an oxymoron.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The contradiction between ``loud'' (deafening) and ``no sound'' (silence) makes this an oxymoron.
The figure of speech used in the expression is an Oxymoron (Option c).