The Oxford Dictionary defines personification as “the practice of representing objects, qualities, etc. as humans.” Personification is a popular writing technique used by writers to bring a nonliving thing to life.
Personification and Anthropomorphism: Definition and Examples
Personification examples:
- The tree gleefully danced in the wind, swaying from one end to the other.
- It was as if the delicious piece of chocolate cake was calling out my name.
- It seemed as if the clown doll was smiling at me, which made me uncomfortable.
Definition of Anthropomorphism
The Oxford Dictionary defines anthropomorphism as “the practice of treating gods, animals or objects as humans.” Anthropomorphism is similar to personification. However, there is a fundamental difference between the two. While personification is figurative in nature, anthropomorphism is literal. This means that while personification attributes humanlike characteristics to inanimate objects, anthropomorphism animates inanimate objects as if they were humans themselves.
Anthropomorphism examples:
- Mr. Rabbit sipped his cup of tea as he rocked back and forth in his rocking chair.
- The wolf dressed up like the old lady so that it could deceive the lady’s grandchildren.
- The moon winked at the sea, and the sea felt drawn toward the moon.
Uses of Personification and Anthropomorphism
Personification and anthropomorphism are used to:
- Embellish a piece of writing to make it attractive to readers
- Get and retain readers’ attention
- Bring abstract ideas and concepts to life
- Animate inanimate objects
Personification in Literature
Personification is both a literary device and poetic device used by poets and writers to assign human qualities to non-human entities. Like metaphor, it is a figure of speech that is commonly used in literature. Below is an example of personification in literature:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth
In the above example, the poet sees a field full of daffodils swaying in the wind. The way they move seems human-like to him, which he describes using the word “dances.”
Here’s another example of personification:
When well-appareled April on the heel
Of limping winter treads, even such delight
Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare
In this example, the month of April is compared to a well-dressed person all set to replace the dreary winter and bring some much needed respite in the form of spring.
Anthropomorphism in Literature
Like personification, anthropomorphism is a frequently used writing technique in English. Below are some examples of anthropomorphism in literature.
Anthropomorphism of Animals
It’s common to come across animals that behave like humans in both children’s stories and stories for adults, too. Here’s one such example:
“Now run along, and don’t get into mischief. I am going out.”
Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella, to the baker’s. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five currant buns.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
The excerpt is from a children’s story about a family of rabbits. In this story, not only do the rabbits talk, but they also wear shoes and coats and behave like humans.
Anthropomorphism of Objects
Like animals, objects too are given human characteristics in several stories, plays, and poems. Below is an example:
I’ve done this job for centuries
On every student’s head I’ve sat
Of thoughts I take inventories
For I’m the famous Sorting Hat.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne
The above lines are from a song sung by the sorting hat, which is a famous character in the Harry Potter book series. Not only does the hat speak and sing like humans do, but it also performs one of the most important duties at Hogwarts, which is sorting the students into different houses. The hat does this after taking into account their strengths, thoughts, and character, which in turn shows that the hat has the capacity to judge.
Anthropomorphism of Other Non-Human Entities
Not just animals and objects, even inanimate things like machines are brought to life by writers through anthropomorphism. Here’s an example:
It’s about machines like me and people like you and our future together…the sadness that’s to come.
Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan
The above sentence is spoken by a robot named Adam, who comes to life and starts manipulating his owners. Adam is eventually destroyed by his owners, and his remains are returned to his maker (as per Adam’s “dying” wish).
Like personification and anthropomorphism, there are several other figures of speech such as simile, oxymoron, allusion, allegory, etc. that are routinely used by writers. Not only do such writing techniques make a piece of writing intriguing, but they also evoke strong emotions from readers, making them want to read further.
