Which technique is used in Remains to convey the rough, colloquial memory of war?

• A. Formal diction and elevated syntax
• B. Imagery of nature
• C. Meta-narrative devices
• D. Colloquial, repetitive rhythm to imitate speech

Answer: (D)

The technique tests how voice and memory are shown through speech and rhythm. In Remains, the memory of war is spoken in a rough, everyday register—the narrator uses colloquial diction, simple phrasing, and speech-like rhythm. The lines and enjambment mimic natural talk, and repetition and hesitations reproduce how a traumatic memory can circle back, looping over the same phrases. This rough, repetitive rhythm makes the memory feel immediate and unpolished, as if the speaker is recounting it aloud in a casual, unsettled moment rather than delivering a polished, formal account. That sense of spoken language is what conveys the rough, colloquial memory of war most powerfully.