What literary terms are used in the following excerpt from A Separate Peace?

"So the war swept over like a wave at the seashore, gathering power and size as it bore on us, overwhelming in its rush, seemingly inescapable, and then at the last moment eluded by a word from Phineas; I had simply ducked, that was all, and the wave's concentrated power had hurtled harmlessly overhead." analysis

John Knowles' A Separate Peace tells the story of Gene Forrester, and his friendship with Finny. Amid the war and their dreams of participating in the Olympics, their friendship was also put to the test numerous times after Gene, out of jealousy, played a part in the first accident where Finny broke his leg.

In the given excerpt, the author uses a number of literary terms/ devices. Metaphors, simile, alliteration and interior monologue of narration are evident in the given passage. He uses simile when he compares the war to be like an ocean wave, metaphorically alluding to the strong impact of the war that "swept over like a wave at the seashore". And the interior monologue of the passage reveals his inner thoughts on the scene, which he did not speak out.

Again, alliteration is seen in the lines "war .... wave", with the first letter of the words having the same letter. The passage is a recollected account of the older Gene about his younger self.