Personification is a literary device in which human characteristics or attributes are attributed to non-human entities, such as animals, objects, or abstract concepts. It involves giving human-like qualities, emotions, or actions to inanimate objects or animals, as if they were capable of human behavior. Personification is a form of figurative language that is used to make descriptions or representations more vivid, relatable, and imaginative. It can add depth and meaning to a piece of writing by bringing non-human entities to life and making them more relatable or understandable to readers.It is a form of anthropomorphism, which is the act of giving human qualities to non-human entities.

Personification is used to make these non-human entities more relatable, vivid, and engaging to readers, as if they possess human-like qualities or emotions.

Personification can take various forms, such as:

1. Giving human characteristics to animals: For example, “The wind howled angrily,” or “The sun smiled down upon us.” In these examples, the wind and sun are being personified as if they have human emotions or actions.
2. Giving human characteristics to objects: For example, “The old house groaned with every step,” or “The flowers danced in the breeze.” In these examples, the house and flowers are being personified as if they have human-like actions or sensations.
3. Giving human characteristics to abstract concepts: For example, “Death knocked at the door,” or “Time waits for no one.” In these examples, death and time are being personified as if they have human-like actions or behaviors.

Examples

“The stars danced in the night sky.”

In this sentence, the stars are being personified as if they are dancing, giving them human-like qualities of movement and liveliness.

“The wind whispered secrets through the trees.”

Here, the wind is being personified as if it is capable of whispering and sharing secrets, attributing human-like communication abilities to the natural phenomenon of wind.

“The sun smiled down on the field of flowers.”

In this example, the sun is personified as if it is capable of smiling, giving it human-like emotions and expressions.

“The old house creaked and groaned as if it was alive.”

The house is personified as if it is alive, with human-like actions of creaking and groaning, adding a sense of liveliness and animation to the inanimate object.

“Time flies.”

Time is personified as if it has the ability to fly, giving it human-like actions and characteristics.

“The river ran swiftly, eager to reach the ocean.”

The river is personified as if it is eager, attributing human-like emotions of eagerness to the natural phenomenon of a river.

“The moonlight danced on the waves of the sea.”

The moonlight is being personified as if it is dancing, giving it human-like qualities of movement and liveliness.

These examples illustrate how personification can be used to infuse non-human entities with human-like characteristics, emotions, and actions, creating vivid and imaginative descriptions in literature and writing.

Purpose of using personification

The purpose of using personification in writing is to bring non-human entities to life by attributing human characteristics, traits, or behaviors to them. Here are some specific purposes of using personification:

1. Vividness and Imagery: Personification can make descriptions or representations more vivid and imaginative by giving inanimate objects, animals, or abstract concepts human-like qualities, emotions, or actions. It creates imagery in the reader’s mind, making the writing more engaging, relatable, and memorable.
2. Emotion and Empathy: Personification can evoke emotions and create empathy by giving non-human entities human-like emotions. It can make readers connect with these entities on a deeper level and feel empathy towards them, enhancing the emotional impact of the writing.
3. Accessibility and Relatability: Personification can make abstract concepts or complex ideas more accessible and relatable by giving them human-like attributes. It helps readers understand and connect with these concepts in a more relatable and understandable way.
4. Figurative Language: Personification is a form of figurative language that adds literary flair and creativity to writing. It can enhance the style, tone, and rhythm of the text, making it more enjoyable to read and enhancing the overall literary quality of the work.
5. Expressiveness and Creativity: Personification allows writers to express themselves creatively and add unique elements to their writing. It provides a way to describe the world in imaginative and unconventional ways, giving writers the freedom to be expressive and creative in their language use.
6. Communication and Impact: Personification can make complex ideas or concepts more memorable and impactful. It can help writers convey their message or communicate their ideas in a way that is more engaging and memorable to readers.

Overall, the purpose of using personification in writing is to add depth, emotion, vividness, and creativity to descriptions, representations, and expressions, enhancing the impact and appeal of the writing to readers.

Examples from famous literary works

Here are some examples of personification from famous literary works:

1. “The fog comes on little cat feet.” – “Fog” by Carl Sandburg In this line from the poem “Fog,” the fog is personified as having “little cat feet,” attributing it with human-like qualities of stealth and quietness.
2. “The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand.” – “The Old Nurse’s Story” by Elizabeth Gaskell In this sentence, the night is personified as if it is capable of walking and holding the moon in her hand, giving it human-like actions and characteristics.
3. “The wind howled in the night, angry and relentless.” – “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe In this sentence from Poe’s famous short story, the wind is personified as if it is capable of howling and being angry, attributing it with human-like emotions and behaviors.
4. “The sun kissed the horizon goodnight.” – Unknown In this example, the sun is personified as if it is capable of kissing, giving it human-like actions and emotions of saying goodnight.
5. “The trees danced in the breeze, their leaves clapping with joy.” – Unknown In this sentence, the trees are personified as if they are capable of dancing and clapping, giving them human-like qualities of movement and emotion.
6. “Time flies.” – Unknown This famous phrase personifies time as if it has the ability to fly, attributing it with human-like actions and characteristics.

These examples from famous literary works demonstrate how personification can be used to infuse non-human entities with human-like qualities, emotions, and actions, creating vivid and memorable descriptions that engage readers’ imaginations and emotions.