Figurative Language Part 2 - Personification

Personification Lesson

by E.L. Summers

​Personification

​Personification is when a writer gives an animal or an object human traits or behaviors.

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​"Even the walls seemed to stand taller and straighter in the presence of the queen."

​Human Traits

​A trait is something that a human can be or feel.

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​Humans can have emotions, like angry, sad, etc. If you describe a non-human thing in your writing as having an emotion, that is personification.

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​The tree rocked its limbs angrily in the wind.

​Human Traits

​A trait is something that a human can be or feel.

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​Humans can have formal titles like doctor, professor.

​Humans can have informal titles like father, mother, guard, etc.

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​Stating that a non-human object has a human title is personification as well.

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​The large female wolf was an excellent mother.

​Human Behaviors

​Behaviors are something that a human does.

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When you write that something that is non-human is acting in a way that only a human would act, you are using personification.

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​The forest slept through the winter, dreaming of springtime.

Multiple Choice

Personification is when a writer gives an animal or an object human traits or behaviors.

​Personification

​Like with similes and metaphors, personification is used to make the writing more interesting, to make ideas clearer, and to draw the reader into the writing.

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​"The lightning danced across the sky."

​Personification

​Figurative language can make writing "feel" better.

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​"Rita wanted the last piece of pie."

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​versus

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"​Rita heard the last piece of pie calling her name."

​Personification

​Personification can help the reader understand exactly how the narrator or characters in a story feel.

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"​My alarm clock was ringing."

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versus​

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"​My alarm clock was yelling at me to get out of bed."

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Multiple Choice

Click on the sentence that uses personification.

• My bike fell over.

• My bike decided it didn't want to stay up anymore.

• My bike crashed into a tree.

Multiple Choice

Click on the sentence that uses personification.

• There was a large rock in the way.

• We couldn't go farther because of the big rock.

• The rock stood in the path and dared us to try and get by.

Multiple Choice

Click on the sentence that uses personification.

• The moon played hide and seek with the clouds.

• Sometimes you could see the moon, sometimes you couldn't.

• The moon was covered by clouds, but not for long.

Multiple Choice

Click on the sentence that uses personification.

• The leaves on the flowers were turning brown.

• The flowers needed water.

• The flowers were begging for water.

Multiple Choice

Click on the sentence that uses personification.

• The cactus had two upturned stems.

• People noticed the cactus when they drove by.

• The cactus saluted people as they drove by.

​Personification

​Use personification in your writing to tell a reader how they should feel at the moment,

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​"The sun smiled down at us."

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"​The sun glared down at us."

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​The two sentences invoke a different feeling for the reader.

​Personification

"​The sun smiled down at us." could mean that is a bright sunshiney day on Sesame Street.

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​"The sun glared down at us." could mean that it is a very hot day with no clouds or shade to hide in.

​Conclusion and Review

• ​Personification gives an animal or object human traits.

• ​Similes compare two unlike objects using the words "like" or "as".

• ​Metaphors compare two unlike objects by directly calling one thing another thing.