Imagery and personification
Move beyond naming a device to explain how particular words shape a reader's impression.
What you will learn
- Recognise personification.
- Connect a quotation with its effect.
A technique is the start of analysis
Personification gives human actions, feelings or qualities to something non-human. A description of a town 'waking' presents it as alive rather than simply reporting that people have begun their day.
Imagery can appeal to sight, sound, touch, taste or smell. Identify the exact words responsible for an impression instead of labelling every vivid phrase a metaphor.
Explain the connection
A useful analytical sentence identifies a detail, explains its associations and connects them to the scene or idea. Effects depend on context: a 'whispering' wind may suggest gentleness in one passage and secrecy in another.
Use short, precise quotations and avoid replacing analysis with a list of device names. More than one interpretation may be defensible when supported by the language.
Worked example
Analyse the original sentence: 'The harbour stretched its tired arms towards the morning boats.'
Show the worked solution
- 'Stretched' and 'tired arms' give the harbour human actions and a body.
- The movement suggests a waking or welcoming presence.
- 'Tired' adds a sense of age or wear, complicating the warmth of the welcome.
Answer The personification presents the harbour as a worn but welcoming presence.
Common mistakes
- Do not stop after saying 'this is personification'.
- An effect must be linked to the words and context.
What can you explain now?
Which phrase is personification: 'the red gate' or 'the gate complained in the wind'?
Compare with the explanation
'The gate complained in the wind'
Complaining is a human action attributed to the gate.
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These lessons teach the topics represented in our current practice sets. They are not a complete course for every paper or option in the qualification.
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