Personification means to give human traits to
A. wild animals.
B. nonhuman objects.
C. critical readers.
D. small children.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is: B. nonhuman objects.
Explanation:
Personification is a literary device where human qualities, emotions, or actions are attributed to nonhuman entities, such as objects, animals, natural elements, or abstract concepts. Writers often use personification to make descriptions more vivid, relatable, and evocative for the reader, adding depth and emotional resonance to their work. By attributing human characteristics to nonhuman elements, personification enables readers to connect with these elements on a more personal level, as they start to feel emotions or actions they would associate with human beings.
For example, phrases like “the sun smiled down on us,” “the wind whispered through the trees,” or “time marches on” are classic instances of personification. In these examples, the sun is given the human ability to “smile,” the wind to “whisper,” and time to “march.” These characteristics help convey a specific mood or tone and allow readers to form a clearer mental image of the scene.
Personification is often employed in poetry, storytelling, and descriptive writing to enhance imagery. It can also be used to convey complex ideas and emotions in a more accessible way. For example, describing the struggle between good and evil as a “battle between light and darkness” not only personifies these abstract ideas but also simplifies the concept, making it relatable and memorable.
It’s important to distinguish personification from anthropomorphism, which is a similar but different concept. While personification gives human traits to nonhuman elements for expressive purposes, anthropomorphism goes further by actually presenting animals, objects, or deities as if they were human, often giving them human appearances, voices, or entire personalities, as seen in children’s books and animated movies.
In summary, personification enriches language by adding human characteristics to nonhuman things (Answer B), enhancing readers’ emotional engagement and helping to create vivid mental imagery.