English Language Arts
Grade 8
15 min
Use personification
Use personification
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define personification and differentiate it from other forms of figurative language.
Identify examples of personification in various literary and non-literary texts.
Analyze the effect of personification on mood, tone, imagery, and a writer's purpose.
Create original and effective examples of personification in their own writing.
Revise sentences to incorporate vivid and impactful personification.
Explain how personification contributes to the overall meaning and aesthetic of a text.
Have you ever heard the wind whisper secrets through the trees, or seen the sun smile down on a warm day? 🌬️☀️
In this lesson, you'll learn how to use personification, a powerful literary device that gives human qualities to non-human things. Understanding and appl...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
PersonificationA figure of speech where human qualities, characteristics, or actions are attributed to inanimate objects, animals, or abstract ideas.The angry clouds scowled down, threatening rain.
Figurative LanguageLanguage that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation, often to create a more vivid or imaginative effect.Metaphors, similes, and personification are all forms of figurative language.
Inanimate ObjectSomething that is not alive and does not possess consciousness or life, such as a rock, a book, or a storm.The old house groaned in the wind, its timbers complaining.
Abstract IdeaA concept or idea that does not have a physical form or concrete existence, such as love, justice, time, or freedom.Time marches...
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Key Rules & Conventions
Identify the Non-Human Subject
Personification always applies human traits to something non-human.
Before you can personify, you must select the non-human entity (an inanimate object, animal, or abstract idea) that will receive human characteristics. This is the 'what' or 'who' that will be given human qualities.
Assign Specific Human Qualities/Actions
Connect the non-human subject to a human verb, adjective, or emotion.
Once you have your subject, think about what specific human action, emotion, or quality would best describe its behavior or appearance in a vivid, non-literal way. The chosen human trait should be fitting and enhance the description.
Consider the Effect and Purpose
Effective personification serves a purpose beyond mere decoration; i...
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Challenging
In an argumentative essay about technology, a student writes: 'Our privacy, a fragile bird, has had its wings clipped by social media giants who cage it for profit.' How does this complex personification serve the writer's purpose?
A.It provides a factual statistic about data collection.
B.It distracts the reader with an unrelated image of a bird.
C.It creates a powerful emotional appeal by portraying privacy as a living, vulnerable entity that has been deliberately harmed.
D.It suggests that social media is only a problem for people who own birds.
Challenging
A novice writer drafts a paragraph: 'The happy sun smiled. The cheerful clouds skipped by. The joyful flowers danced in the gleeful wind.' According to the 'Common Pitfalls,' what is the most likely negative effect of this overuse of similar personification?
A.It creates a powerful and consistent mood of happiness.
B.It can feel repetitive, cliché, and ultimately weaken the descriptive impact by being overwhelming.
C.It makes the writing too difficult for the average reader to understand.
D.It is an example of perfect, effective writing that should not be changed.
Challenging
An author wants to personify 'Despair' to convey a sense of it being a physically draining and parasitic force. Which sentence most masterfully achieves this nuanced goal?
A.Despair sank its teeth into his soul, slowly draining the life from him.
B.Despair was a sad feeling that made him want to stay in bed.
C.Despair told him that nothing would ever get better.
D.Despair was like a heavy blanket covering him.
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