Is it a complete sentence: "Caution murmured: it could be a trick, a lure, a trap."?

It is fine, "Caution murmured ..." is being used as a figure of speech. I believe it's called a personification. A personification is "a figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction is endowed with human qualities or abilities." "Caution" here is being treated like a human being, and it whispered to him that he was about to fall into a trap.

Example: That kitchen knife will take a bite out of your hand if you don't handle it safely.

The second last sentence uses one too: "But instinct ... told him ..."

Here is a list of examples of personification.

I however don't understand the absence of a conjunction in the latter part. To me, it seems it needs an "or" before the last element "a trap".

Edit: Response to my query about the sentence not using a conjunction.

James K and Jason Bassford explain in the comments that the absence/omission of "or" is most likely intentional. I am quoting them here just in case the comments are removed.

"The list is truncated because Harry stops worrying about the possibilties and stops thinking mid-way through the list and acts on instinct." - James K

"Omitting the comma there is a stylistic technique called asyndeton." - Jason Bassford

Also, CJ Dennis points out that including the "or" would change the feeling of the sentence: "Using "or" would reduce the impact of the sentence."

AIQ

Posted 2019-11-30T07:23:42.363

Reputation: 8 399

7I think the missing "or" is intentional. We always see from Harry's point of view, and here it gives the impression of his thought processes. The list is truncated because Harry stops worrying about the possibilties and stops thinking mid-way through the list and acts on instinct. – James K – 2019-11-30T09:46:16.093

Omitting the comma there is a stylistic technique called asyndeton. It could also be considered a specific form of acceptable comma splice.

– Jason Bassford – 2019-11-30T15:27:24.720

7I think the list is meant to provide equivalencies rather than alternatives. A trick, in other words a lure, in other words a trap. – Zachiel – 2019-11-30T19:36:31.067

5Including the "or" would change the feeling of the sentence. "trick", "lure", and "trap" are being used as rough synonyms for effect. Each one builds on the previous one. It's a trick to lure him into a trap! Using "or" would reduce the impact of the sentence. – CJ Dennis – 2019-12-01T01:30:23.467

@CJDennis Yes, I agree. It would indeed change the impact/effect of the sentence. Thanks for the comment. It all makes sense now. – AIQ – 2019-12-01T03:05:22.057

@JasonBassfordSupportsMonica Thanks for the link; I learnt something new. – AIQ – 2019-12-01T03:07:58.263

2I've come across copy-editors who would insert an "or" and thereby ruin the effect. The impact of the sentence comes partly because you can read it with an ellipsis at the end; not only might it be a trick, a lure, or a trap, it might be one of several other unspeakable things as well. In that sense, the answer to the question is that the sentence is indeed incomplete -- deliberately so. – Michael Kay – 2019-12-02T08:28:59.467

There should not be an "or" and there's no reason at all there would be an "or". – Fattie – 2019-12-02T13:22:00.397

1It's extremely astute to point out that the "Caution" in the sentence is not necessarily a personification of the quality "caution". Harry has a "caution voice" in his brain; indeed humans literally arguably have "centers" in their brain ("caution systems", "sex systems" etc.) and it would be perfectly natural to talk about those actual literal things; it's actually not a personification of the general quality caution. Good call! – Fattie – 2019-12-02T13:25:04.117

Is it a complete sentence: "Caution murmured: it could be a trick, a lure, a trap."?

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