Pathetic Fallacy

Pathetic Fallacy is...

• The attribution of human feelings to inanimate objects in nature.

• Representing an abstract quality in human form.

• Giving an inanimate object powers of speech and expression.

• An indirect word/expression used when talking about an unpleasant topic.

Answer explanation

Pathetic Fallacy only includes human feelings.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

Who coined the term 'Pathetic Fallacy'?

• Aristotle

• Herman Melville

• John Ruskin

• George Eliot

• William Shakespeare

Answer explanation

John Ruskin, in his book series 'Modern Painters' from 1843-1860.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

How many examples of Pathetic Fallacy are here:

The rain wept about him as he trudged back home. His numb hand scowled up at him and his hat bore down heavily on his head.

• 0

• 1

• 2

• 3

Answer explanation

The first one is a Pathetic Fallacy while the second is a personification and the third is a simple description.

Pathetic Fallacy is a type of...

• Meitosis

• Euphemism

• Deliberate Repitition

• Personification

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

Why did John Ruskin coin the term 'Pathetic Fallacy'?

• He found that it was grammatically awkward.

• He thought it was a mark of inferior poets.

• He decided that it caused redundancy in writing.

• He realised that it convoluted sentence structure.

Answer explanation

Pathetic Fallacy does not cause redundancy, is not grammatically incorrect, and keeps the sentence structure good. It gives an improvement to writing.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

Since when has Pathetic Fallacy been used?

• Ancient Mesopotamia

• Ancient Rome

• Ancient Greece

• Ancient Egypt

Answer explanation

Egypt and Rome existed during the same time; Mesopotamia came before the invention of Pathetic Fallacy.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

Which effect can Pathetic Fallacy create?

• Describe the weather.

• Describe a character's mood.

• Make inanimate objects more relatable.

• Auxesis and meiosis in English grammar.

Which of these is an example of Pathetic Fallacy?

• The light danced.

• The flowers smiled.

• Sun, rain and powerful wind.

• The friendly breeze.