Personification-giving human qualities to things that are not human Today we will identify personification in text and explain the author’s meaning Personification-giving human qualities to things that are not human

Personification Sometimes a writer will give human characteristics to nonhuman things. Objects, ideas, places or animals may be given human qualities. They may perform human actions. This type of figurative language is called personification. It helps the writer create an exciting picture in the reader’s mind.

EXAMPLES: The sailboat danced gracefully past us. The flames ate hungrily at the burning house. The once-proud trees bent meekly before the storm. The broad, flat rock lay sunning itself by the stream.

Why do we need to know this? Helps us better understand what the author’s message is. It helps create vivid or more colorful ways of explaining non human objects. What are other reasons why we need to know how to identify and understand personification?

Let me show you how to identify personification. 1.  The sun stretches its warmth across the land. The thing being personified is the ‘sun’ The sun is given the human characteristic of ‘stretching’

Here’s another 2. The chair danced as the baby bounced to and fro. The thing being personified is the ‘chair’ The chair is dancing—chairs can’t dance

Help me with this one 3. The darkness wrapped its arms around me. What is being personified? What is it doing? Can it do that? Identify the personification.

How to identify personification Read the text carefully Find the object that is being personified The subject of the sentence is usually where you can find the personified object Find the word that makes it seem human The verb in the sentence usually makes it animated An adjective can also give the word human qualities Underline the part of the sentence that shows personification or identify the sentence as personification

Let’s practice using poems! Emily Dickinson The sky is low THE sky is low, the clouds are mean, A travelling flake of snow Across a barn or through a rut Debates if it will go. A narrow wind complains all day How some one treated him; Nature, like us, is sometimes caught Without her diadem. Read the text carefully Find the object that is being personified Find the word that makes it seem human Underline the part of the sentence that shows personification or identify the sentence as personification Print for whiteboards

Langston Hughes Read the text carefully Find the object that is being personified Find the word that makes it seem human Underline the part of the sentence that shows personification or identify the sentence as personification April Rain Song Let the rain kiss you Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops Let the rain sing you a lullaby The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk The rain makes running pools in the gutter The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night And I love the rain Print for whiteboards