Personification: Giving Human Characteristics to Inanimate Objects
__Understanding Personification__
Personification, when applied in literature, provides an imaginative and captivating way to communicate ideas and convey meaning. It’s a figure of speech that gives human characteristics to animals, plants, natural forces, ideas, and other non-human entities. When accessing poetry or books, you may commonly come across this literary device.
At its simplest, personification occurs when a writer or speaker assigns human qualities such as thoughts, feelings and motivations to an inanimate subject. However, when done correctly and creatively, personification encourages audiences to step into the imaginary world the words paint and build a bridge between them and the non-human item being portrayed.
For example, in Emily Dickinson’s poem, “There’s a Certain Slant of Light”, the author personifies the sunlight to give readers a better understanding of what she’s trying to convey. By saying that the sunlight “oppresses” and “terrorizes”, Dickinson makes them feel the intensity of the sun.
__Examples of Personification__
Personification can help writers create vivid imaginings and a special bond between humans and non-humans. When done correctly, personification is an effective tool to convey and communicate ideas. Here are some examples of personification you may have already encountered in your day to day life.
1. “The leaves danced in the wind.”
2. “The wind murmured a lullaby.”
3. “The flowers smiled in the morning light.”
4. “The stars twinkled in the dark sky.”
5. “The ocean waves kissed the shore.”
__Benefits of Personification__
Personification is beneficial for two reasons: it provides a level of familiarity so that readers can better understand, and it encourages readers to bridge the gap between them and the non-human item being personified.
It’s an especially useful tool for authors when providing a description of a scene, painting a picture or discussing a certain concept. Giving human characteristics to the described element can help readers better understand the author’s point of view.
For example, a character in a novel may recount that their favourite chair was like an old friend, always there for them when times got tough. This is a good example of personification as the author has applied human feelings such as comfort and companionship to an object. It’s an effective way to show how much the character loves and cares for the chair.
Personification can also benefit non-fiction writing. It can be used to illustrate theories and give a sense of familiarity to otherwise technical concepts.
For example, while discussing marketing strategies, a marketer may use personification to explain the importance of segmentation. They may explain that an understanding of their customer segments is like a map; it points them in the right direction towards the most effective marketing strategy.
In this way, personification helps create a vivid description and develop a connection between reader and subject.
Personification is a literary device used across all genres, from books to songs, to evoke emotion and provide deeper insight into a character’s connection to a concept or inanimate item. By giving human characteristics to non-human objects and ideas, personification encourages readers to step into the imaginary world the words paint and build a bridge between them and the item being personified.