“electrical murmur of a hidden wasp snug in its special pink warm nest.” (page 12) literary device: literal meaning:

This is a metaphor. It's comparing the earpiece to a wasp and her ears to the wasp nest. The purpose of this is to emphasize how hooked on technology society is. How much human interaction is lacking. By putting in the ear pieces to sleep (and taking the pills) she can completely block out any interactions with others.

It is the poet alfred, lord tennyson himself