Robust writers use literary units like personification to make their writing extra vivid and fascinating. Be taught the definition of personification, plus discover plenty of partaking personification examples to share along with your college students.
What’s personification?
Personification is a literary machine, a way authors use so as to add that means to their writing. Put merely, writers use personification after they give human traits to non-human animals or objects. In different phrases, an writer describes a non-human object as doing one thing human.
- Instance: “The babbling brook meandered alongside the path, skipping and jumping over the rocks.”
On this instance, the writer doesn’t actually imply the brook babbles, meanders, skips, or jumps. As an alternative, they use these human actions to make the sounds and actions of the brook extra clear to the reader.
Personification vs. Anthropomorphism
These two literary units are typically confused, however they’ve totally different meanings. When an writer makes use of anthropomorphism, they’ve a non-human character actually act in human methods, similar to speaking animals.
- Personification instance: My canine cried mournfully as I left, begging me to not go away him alone for the day.
- Anthropomorphism instance: “Don’t go,” sobbed Rex, tears working down his furry nostril. “I can’t bear to be alone all day long!”
Within the first instance—personification—the canine shows human-like habits however doesn’t actually cry, beg, or communicate. Within the second—anthropomorphism—the canine does actually cry and discuss. Anthropomorphism is frequent in kids’s books and fairy tales, whereas personification can seem in any sort of writing, together with nonfiction.
Significance of Personification
Writers use personification to convey life and that means to their writing. By associating an outline with one thing human and acquainted, they make it simpler for his or her reader to narrate to it. When an writer offers an object human traits, like a “screaming alarm clock” or a “murmuring breeze,” their writing turns into extra partaking.
We’ve all had days the place we really feel like computer systems “hate” us, or our alarm clock is “scolding” us till we get away from bed. When authors use such a personification, we are able to instantly perceive the emotions and feelings they’re attempting to convey. The setting and ambiance turn into clearer, serving to us perceive human characters somewhat higher.
Normal Personification Examples
- The flowers danced within the breeze.
- A smooth breeze tickled her cheek.
- That sizzling fudge sundae is basically calling my identify.
- The solar smiled down on us as we picnicked within the park.
- Time flies while you’re having enjoyable.
- The outdated stairs groaned with every step he took.
- After a protracted day, my smooth mattress beckoned me with open arms.
- Moonlight caressed the water’s floor, glinting on every tiny wave.
- The storm raged ashore, destroying all that lie earlier than it.
- The mountains stood tall and proud, guarding the valley under.
- The suspicious safety cam adopted her each transfer, decided to catch her within the act.
- Hungry waves ate away on the shoreline.
- After many false begins, the automotive’s engine lastly coughed to life.
- Darkish clouds gathered within the sky, plotting their assault on the land under.
- The typewriter keys jumped and jigged beneath his flying fingers.
- The candy aroma of freshly baked cookies wooed all of them into the kitchen.
- Daybreak stretched itself throughout the panorama, embracing the dew-laden flowers.
- Overhead, the leaves whispered softly within the wind.
- Doubts attacked him left and proper as he tried to decide.
- The fog crept slowly over the bottom, sneaking its approach into each hole.
Personification Examples From Literature
- “There is something subversive about this garden of Serena’s. … It breathes, in the warmth, breathing itself in.” –The Handmaid’s Story by Margaret Atwood
- “A waft of wind came sweeping down the laurel-walk, and trembled through the boughs of the chestnut: it wandered away—away—to an indefinite distance—it died.” –Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- “All in vain; because Death, in approaching him, had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim.” –The Inform-Story Coronary heart by Edgar Allan Poe
- “The ship danced over the waves, eager to return to Ithaca.” –The Odyssey by Homer
- “The windmill loomed over the farm, its blades turning with a relentless determination …” –Animal Farm by George Orwell
- “The fire’s fingers reached out, devouring the pages of the forbidden books.” –Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- “The moors sighed with the weight of the secrets they held, whispering tales of love and revenge.” –Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
- “The sun persists in rising, so I make myself stand.” –The Starvation Video games by Suzanne Collins
- “Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon / Who is already sick and pale with grief …” –Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
- “The Triwizard Cup is waiting. It is waiting for you.” –Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fireplace by J.Ok. Rowling
Personification Examples From Poetry
- “Because I could not stop for Death – / He kindly stopped for me – / The Carriage held but just Ourselves – / And Immortality.” –As a result of I Might Not Cease for Dying by Emily Dickinson
- “I wandered lonely as a cloud …” –Daffodils by William Wordsworth
- “The moon was shining sulkily / Because she thought the sun / Had got no business to be there / After the day was done.” –The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll
- “Earth felt the wound; and Nature from her seat, / Sighing, through all her works, gave signs of woe.” –Paradise Misplaced by John Milton
- “The aspens at the cross-roads talk together / Of rain …” –Aspens by Edward Thomas
- “And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain / Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before.” –The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe
- “The troubled sky reveals / The grief it feels.” –Snow-Flakes by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- “Eight balloons no one was buyin’ / All broke loose one afternoon. / Eight balloons with strings a-flyin’, / Free to do what they wanted to.” –Eight Balloons by Shel Silverstein
- “The little white clouds are racing over the sky …” –Magdalen Walks by Oscar Wilde
- “The fog comes / on little cat feet. / It sits looking / over harbor and city / on silent haunches / and then moves on.” –Fog by Carl Sandburg
Track Lyrics Personification Examples
- “You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes.” –Thriller by Michael Jackson
- “And so today, my world it smiles.” –Thank You by Led Zeppelin
- “I want to wake up in a city / That doesn’t sleep.” –New York, New York by John Kander and Fred Ebb
- “Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.” –Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Inexperienced Day
- “They reach into your room, oh, just feel their gentle touch. / When all hope is gone, sad songs say so much.” –Unhappy Songs by Elton John
- “The highway don’t care if you’re all alone.” –Freeway Don’t Care by Tim McGraw
- “And the saddest fear comes creeping in …” –I Knew You Have been Bother by Taylor Swift
- “The high yellow moon won’t come out to play.” –Concrete Jungle by Bob Marley
- “A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer …” –Be Ready from The Lion King
- “Here comes the sun.” –Right here Comes the Solar by The Beatles
