Figurative Language In On Laziness

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In Christopher Morleys essay “On Laziness”, he sets the path to a successful life by way of laziness. The style in this piece is quite interesting and unique. Morley reasons his theory with diction, syntax and figurative language. Diction is prominent in this essay as Morley uses vocabulary that contradicts his theme of laziness. One statement that stands out is about the meek inheriting the earth. He claims, “The truly meek man is the lazy man. He is too modest to believe that any ferment and hubbub of his can ameliorate the earth or assuage the perplexities of humanity.” In this statement he uses words such as “ferment”, “ameliorate” and “assuage”. This is fascinating because according to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of laziness