A. Literacy Connections and Applications / C. Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts · Understanding and Responding to TextsLiterary Devices: Personification and Anthropomorphism
C3.1About 40 minutes
Learning goals- I can find personification and explain what human quality it gives to a non-human thing.
- I can recognize anthropomorphism, when animals or objects are characters that act like people.
- I can tell the two devices apart.
- I can explain how these devices create meaning and suit the purpose and audience.
Words to know
literary device
A special way of using words that writers use to create meaning or feeling.
personification
Describing a non-human thing (like the wind or a house) as if it had human actions or feelings: The wind howled.
anthropomorphism
Making animals or objects into characters who think, talk and act like people all through a story.
human qualities
Things people do or feel: talking, smiling, being grumpy, whispering, dancing.
mood
The feeling a text gives the reader, such as cozy, scary or exciting.
audience
The people a text is made for.
Remember from Grade 3
In Grade 3 you learned two literary devices: metaphors (The rink was a mirror) and assonance (repeated vowel sounds). You also met fables, where animals talk and teach a lesson.
In Grade 4 you will learn personification and anthropomorphism, two ways writers make non-human things seem human, and explain why writers use them for certain audiences and purposes.
Hook: Can a house groan?
The old house groaned in the wind.
Houses can't really groan. Groaning is something people do when they're tired or in pain. But you can hear the creaky boards and feel how old and tired the house seems. That's the power of giving human qualities to non-human things!
Personification
Personification describes a non-human thing, like weather, an object, or nature, as if it could do human things. It is usually one phrase or sentence in a description.
How to spot it: find a non-human thing, then ask: Is it doing something only a person does?
Read: Storm Night
That night, the north wind pounded on our door and howled down the chimney. The windows shivered in their frames. The streetlight stared at the empty road. By morning, the storm had tiptoed away, and the sun peeked shyly over the snowbanks.
Worked exampleLet's find the personification
Find the personification in Storm Night. What does each one help you picture or feel?
- the north wind pounded on our door: people pound on doors. The wind seems angry and strong, wanting to come in.
- howled down the chimney: the wind sounds loud and wild.
- The windows shivered: people shiver when cold or scared. You picture windows rattling and feel the cold.
- The streetlight stared: the street feels lonely and empty.
- the storm had tiptoed away: tiptoeing is quiet, so the storm left gently.
- the sun peeked shyly: the sun appears slowly and softly.
- Effect: The mood changes from wild and scary at night to calm and gentle in the morning.
Pounded, howled, shivered, stared, tiptoed and peeked shyly are all human actions. They make the storm feel wild, then make the morning feel peaceful.
Personification in Storm Night: a non-human thing plus a human action helps you picture the scene and feel its mood.Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism (an-thro-po-MOR-fiz-um) is bigger than one sentence. Animals or objects become characters who think, talk and act like people throughout the whole story. They might wear clothes, go to school, have jobs or solve problems.
You've seen it in many books and movies. In the Franklin books by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark, Franklin is a turtle who goes to school and plays with friends. In Charlotte's Web by E. B. White, a spider named Charlotte talks with a pig and spins words into her web.
Read: Pip's Big Plan
Pip the chickadee pulled her toque down over her ears and zipped up her tiny backpack. "Today," she told her brother Dot, "I'm going to find the best bird feeder in the whole neighbourhood."
Dot rolled his eyes. "You said that yesterday. And you got stuck in Mrs. Tran's mailbox."
"That," said Pip, lifting her beak, "was research."
Worked exampleLet's tell the devices apart
Which text uses personification, and which uses anthropomorphism? Explain.
- Storm Night: the wind, windows, streetlight, storm and sun do human actions in single phrases. They are not characters. They don't have names or conversations. → Personification.
- Pip's Big Plan: Pip and Dot are characters with names. They talk, wear clothes (a toque, a backpack), plan, joke and roll their eyes. They act like people through the whole story. → Anthropomorphism.
- Quick test: Is the non-human thing a character in the story who thinks and talks? Then it's anthropomorphism. Is it a description using a human action? Then it's personification.
Storm Night = personification (descriptions). Pip's Big Plan = anthropomorphism (animal characters who act like people).
Personification and anthropomorphism compared. Both make non-human things act human, but anthropomorphism creates whole characters.Why writers use these devices: purpose and audience
Personification helps readers picture things and feel the mood. It's common in poems and descriptions for all ages.
Anthropomorphism is often used for young audiences because:
- Animal characters are fun and easy to like.
- Readers can learn about feelings and problems (like being nervous at a new school) through an animal, which can feel safer than reading about a real child.
- Fables use animal characters to teach a lesson.
- In safety videos for kids, a talking smoke alarm or a cartoon animal can make a serious message easier to remember.
In a science report, though, anthropomorphism isn't appropriate: real chickadees don't wear toques! Informational texts need facts about how animals really behave.
Watch out for real animal facts
Stories with anthropomorphism can be wonderful, but remember what's real. Real chickadees do visit feeders and do stay in Canada all winter, but they don't talk or wear backpacks. Good readers enjoy the story and know the difference.
Just for funMy alarm clock screams at me every morning, and my pillow begs me to stay in bed. (Objects are very dramatic once you learn personification.)
Hands-on activityBring it to life
You need: paper, a pencil, and three objects from around your home (for example, a kettle, a sock and a houseplant).
- Personification: Write one sentence for each object giving it a human action that shows a mood. (The kettle screamed for attention.)
- Anthropomorphism: Choose one object or a pet and write a short scene where it is a character who talks with another character.
- Decide who your scene's audience would be and why the device suits them.
- Read both to a grown-up. Can they tell which is personification and which is anthropomorphism?
Your turn
Describing a non-human thing as if it could do human actions or have human feelings.
2Find the personification: The leaves danced across the playground. What does it help you picture?
The leaves danced. You picture leaves twirling and moving lightly in the wind, which feels playful.
3What is anthropomorphism?
Animals or objects become characters who think, talk and act like people throughout a story.
4Name three human things Pip and Dot do.
Any three: talk, wear a toque, zip a backpack, make plans, roll eyes, joke, lift her beak proudly.
5Is The streetlight stared at the empty road personification or anthropomorphism? Why?
Personification. The streetlight is described with a human action (stared), but it is not a character who talks or acts in a story.
6How does the mood of Storm Night change from the beginning to the end?
From wild and scary (pounded, howled, shivered) to calm and gentle (tiptoed away, peeked shyly).
7Why might a picture book about starting a new school use an anthropomorphic animal?
Young readers find animal characters fun and easy to like, and it can feel safer to explore nervous feelings through an animal.
More practice: warm-up
1Can a real wind pound on a door like a person?
No. That's personification.
2Who is Franklin in the Franklin books?
A turtle who goes to school and plays with friends (an anthropomorphic character).
3Find the human action: The thunder grumbled.
4What did Pip wear on her head?
5Which device uses characters: personification or anthropomorphism?
More practice: on your own
1Write a sentence using personification to make snow seem gentle.
Example: The snow tucked the garden in for the night.
2Write a sentence using personification to make a car seem tired.
Example: The old car coughed and wheezed up the hill.
3Explain the joke in That was research.
Pip got stuck in a mailbox, which was a mistake, but she pretends it was on purpose (research) to save face. It's funny because she's acting like a proud person.
4Why isn't anthropomorphism appropriate in a science report about chickadees?
A science report must give real facts. Chickadees don't really talk, plan or wear toques, so it would give readers wrong information.
5In the fable, the Ant scolded the Grasshopper for playing all summer. Which device is this, and what is the purpose?
Anthropomorphism (the animals talk and act like people). Purpose: to teach a lesson about working hard and planning ahead.
Challenge
1Write a short paragraph (3 sentences) about a hockey rink at night using at least two examples of personification. Underline them.
Example: The empty rink yawned under the moon. The boards creaked a lonely song. A forgotten puck waited patiently by the net for morning. (Look for human actions given to non-human things.)
2Compare how personification and anthropomorphism each help readers. When would a writer choose one over the other?
Personification quickly helps readers picture a scene and feel the mood. Good for poems and descriptions. Anthropomorphism creates whole characters readers care about. Good for stories (especially for young readers) and fables that teach lessons.
3A fire-safety video for Kindergarten uses a talking smoke alarm named Beepy. Explain why this device fits the purpose and audience.
Audience: very young children. Purpose: to teach a serious safety message they'll remember. A friendly talking smoke alarm makes the message fun, less scary and memorable, and it teaches kids what the real alarm sounds like.
Quiz
1. The kettle whistled impatiently. This is...
2. Anthropomorphism means...
3. Which is an example of anthropomorphism?
4. In Storm Night, the storm had tiptoed away shows the storm...
5. Why do many books for young children use animal characters?
6. Where is anthropomorphism NOT appropriate?
What this lesson teaches: Grade 4 students describe literary devices, including personification and anthropomorphism, and explain how they help create meaning and are appropriate for the intended purpose and audience (C3.1).
About the books mentioned: The Franklin series is by Paulette Bourgeois (author) and Brenda Clark (illustrator), both Canadian. Charlotte's Web is by E. B. White.
How to help at home:
- Hunt for personification in poems, song lyrics and picture books (the moon smiled, the wind whispered).
- Ask about favourite animated movies: "Is this anthropomorphism? What human things do the characters do?"
- Ask "Why do you think the author made the main character an animal?"
Common difficulties:
- Mixing up the two devices. Ask: "Is it a character in the story, or a description?"
- Calling any animal in a story anthropomorphism. A realistic dog that barks and fetches is not; a dog that talks and does homework is.
- Naming the device but not its effect. Ask, "What does it make you picture or feel?"