California Teacher Credentialing Examination (CSET) Practice Test 2026 - Free CSET Practice Questions and Study Guide

Bathos is a literary technique that intentionally creates a descent from the sublime to the trivial, often resulting in an anticlimactic outcome. This technique emphasizes the contrast between the expectations set up earlier in the narrative and the eventual outcome, underscoring a sense of falseness or disillusionment. For instance, in a scene that builds up to a momentous declaration only to have the punchline be trivial or humorous, bathos serves to critique or highlight the absurdity of the situation.

In contrast, irony refers to a broader concept where the intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning. Metaphor involves a direct comparison between two unlike things, creating a symbolic meaning rather than an anticlimactic situation. Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, which does not necessarily create false expectations that are ultimately disappointed. Therefore, bathos specifically addresses the use of anticlimax to reveal a sense of falseness, establishing it as the fitting answer.