This allows writers to create life and motion within inanimate objects, animals, and even abstract ideas by assigning them recognizable human behaviors and emotions. This is an effective use of figurative language because personification relies on imagination for understanding.
Of course, readers know at a logical level that nonhuman things cannot feel, behave, or think like humans. However, personifying nonhuman things can be an interesting, creative, and effective way for a writer to illustrate a concept or make a point. This literary device is effective in creating an imaginary world for children in which crayons can communicate like humans. Here are some well-known and recognizable titles and quotes featuring this figure of speech:. Personification is often confused with the literary term anthropomorphism due to fundamental similarities.
However, there is a difference between these two literary devices. Anthropomorphism is when human characteristics or qualities are applied to animals or deities, not inanimate objects or abstract ideas. As a literary device, anthropomorphism allows an animal or deity to behave as a human. This is reflected in Greek dramas in which gods would appear and involve themselves in human actions and relationships. In addition to gods, writers use anthropomorphism to create animals that display human traits or likenesses such as wearing clothes or speaking.
There are several examples of this literary device in popular culture and literature. For example, Mickey Mouse is a character that illustrates anthropomorphism in that he wears clothes and talks like a human, though he is technically an animal. Time Traveler for personification The first known use of personification was in See more words from the same year.
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The awkward case of 'his or her'. See all examples of personification. These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors. What is the pronunciation of personification? Browse personalized.
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