Christine, thank you for the interreting site. // "to the point where it can be considered pretentious" haha, I'm pretentious,yes.

I am sure you must have found the information you need after almost a year, but I was unfamiliar with the concept of a "transferred epithet" so I looked it up. As this link notes, such things are so commonly used that most native speakers don't give them a thought, but when I look at them and imagine I'm trying to learn English I can better understand your question. Here is the link; I hope it is helpful. http://references-definitions.blurtit.com/53988/what-is-a-transferred-epithet I suspect that awareness of this rhetoric would be a very specialized sort of education, if that answers your question. There are so many grammar rules in English that it's difficult even for native speakers to keep them straight. On a cultural note, precise grammar in everyday speech and writing is rarely seen in America, to the point where it can be considered pretentious. Good luck with your studies! I am impressed by the depth of your interest.

Sarah,thank you for the comment. I will consult another books for the rhetoric.

I could be wrong, but I don't think "little" is a transferred epithet here. I think it is just a regular adjective describing the man.