Which sentence most clearly uses personification?
A. The executive must have a pile of money as big as Mt. Everest.
B. Huge waves crashed onto the deck, and the ship rejected us.
C. Each tractor was a force of nature coming to upend our lives.
D. His cat is basically just a pillow that sometimes moves around.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B. Huge waves crashed onto the deck, and the ship rejected us.
Explanation:
Personification is a literary device in which non-human objects, animals, or abstract concepts are given human characteristics or qualities. In this sentence, the ship is described as having the ability to “reject” people, an action typically associated with human behavior. Ships cannot literally reject people, but by attributing this human trait to the ship, the sentence uses personification to emphasize the dangerous, hostile environment the characters are facing.
Let’s break down the other options:
- A. The executive must have a pile of money as big as Mt. Everest.
This sentence uses a simile, comparing the size of the executive’s pile of money to Mt. Everest. A simile makes a comparison using “like” or “as” but does not assign human qualities to non-human objects. While it creates an image of something large, it does not involve personification. - C. Each tractor was a force of nature coming to upend our lives.
This sentence uses metaphor by comparing the tractors to “a force of nature,” suggesting that they are powerful or unstoppable, like natural disasters. Though it’s vivid and impactful, it does not assign human qualities to the tractors, which would be required for personification. - D. His cat is basically just a pillow that sometimes moves around.
In this sentence, the cat is compared to a pillow, which is an example of metaphor, not personification. The cat’s ability to move is simply noted, and no human traits are attributed to the cat. It evokes the image of a lazy, relaxed cat but does not give the cat human-like abilities or emotions.
Therefore, option B is the only sentence that directly uses personification by giving the ship human-like qualities, specifically the ability to “reject” people. This makes the sentence stand out as the clearest example of personification.