Personification Examples

Class Personification Exercise:

a. The trees swayed/embraced/danced/whispered in the moonlight.

b. The clouds glowered menacingly in the rainstorm.

c. The latch bit his finger with metal teeth.

d. The house stared down at her with empty glass eyes.

More examples:

a. The driver started the engine with some difficulty.
--> The car engine coughed and sputtered when it started during the blizzard.

b. The driver drove the car quickly down the hill.
--> The car roared to life and raced down the hill.

c. The tourists walked past a field of beautiful yellow daffodils.
--> The daffodils nodded their yellow heads at the tourists.

d. The wind blew and the leaves fell.
--> The wing sang her mournful song through the falling leaves.

Personification

A figure of speech in which human qualities are given to non-human things, such as animals, nature, ideas or inanimate objects.

NON-HUMAN ---> HUMAN

Ways to make something human:

1. Make it move like a person: eg. run, cartwheel, reach, embrace

2. Make it sound like a person: eg. shout, whisper, laugh, listen

3. Give it emotion: eg. joy, hope, sadness, despair

* To view Pixar's Animation on "Cars," please click here.

How would you personify the car?

1.The car peered over the cliff and gazed in awe at the splendour of the landscape.

2.The car mustered all its strength and raced towards the finishing line, gloating all the way.

Literal vs Figurative Language

What is the difference between Literal & Figurative Language?

Literal Language....

is direct & straightforward.
It conveys facts.

Examples: Dictionary Definitions, Instructions

Figurative Language....

is creative & imaginative.
It conveys personal ideas or opinions.

Examples: Metaphors, Similes, Personification

Can you spot the difference?

1. He is very strong --> He is as strong as an ox. (simile)
2. He eats very messily --> He eats like a pig. (simile)
3. She is very improtant to me --> She is the sunshine of my life. (metaphor)
4. The driver drove the car quickly down the hill --> The car roared to life and raced down the hill. (personification)