key term - Personification

Definition

Personification is a literary device where human qualities and characteristics are attributed to non-human entities or abstract concepts. This technique enhances storytelling and poetry by making inanimate objects or ideas relatable, allowing readers to connect emotionally with the text.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Personification helps to create strong emotional connections by giving life to abstract ideas, making themes more accessible to the reader.
2. This device is commonly used in poetry to convey feelings and moods, allowing readers to experience emotions through familiar human actions and traits.
3. In narratives, personification can develop characters or settings, adding depth and enhancing the storytelling by allowing readers to empathize with non-human elements.
4. Writers often use personification to highlight contrasts between human experiences and natural events, emphasizing the significance of both.
5. Common examples include phrases like 'the wind whispered' or 'time marches on,' which evoke a sense of action and personality in non-human entities.

Review Questions

• How does personification enhance the emotional connection between readers and non-human elements in literature?
  • Personification enhances emotional connections by attributing human traits to non-human elements, which allows readers to relate to and empathize with these elements on a personal level. For example, when a storm is described as 'angry,' it evokes feelings of fear and intensity, transforming an ordinary weather event into something more engaging. This connection makes abstract ideas or inanimate objects more relatable and significant within the narrative.
• In what ways can personification be utilized in poetry to convey complex themes and emotions?
  • In poetry, personification can be used to embody complex themes and emotions by giving human characteristics to abstract concepts. For instance, portraying love as 'a gentle breeze' can evoke warmth and comfort, while depicting fear as 'a creeping shadow' can enhance feelings of anxiety. This technique allows poets to explore intricate ideas by framing them in a way that resonates with readers, providing deeper insights into the human experience.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of personification as a narrative technique in creating memorable settings and characters in literature.
  • Personification is highly effective in crafting memorable settings and characters because it breathes life into otherwise static elements. For instance, a forest described as 'whispering secrets' invites readers to visualize it as an active participant in the story, rather than just a backdrop. This not only enriches the narrative but also deepens the reader's engagement with the world created by the author. By highlighting characteristics of non-human entities, writers can create vivid imagery and emotional resonance that lingers long after reading.

Related terms

Anthropomorphism: A technique similar to personification, where animals or objects are given human traits, but is often used specifically for creating characters that behave and think like humans.

Metaphor:

A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unrelated things, suggesting they are alike in some way without using 'like' or 'as'.

Imagery:

Descriptive language that creates vivid mental pictures for the reader, appealing to the senses and enhancing the emotional impact of a text.