How do you make a mental image stronger when you’re reading?

In this lesson, you will learn to make a mental image stronger by finding examples of personification.

Let’s Review Descriptive words in poetry put pictures in our minds.

A Common Mistake Thinking too literally

Core Lesson Personification is when a writer give a human trait to something that is not human.

Who Has Seen the Wind? Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through. Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by. Christina Rossetti What’s happening here that only people can do? The tree is bowing like a person.

Core Lesson Who Has Seen the Wind? Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through. Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by. Christina Rossetti When, why, or how do people normally do this? People bow out of respect. I think the trees are bowing because they respect the power of the wind. People bow out of respect. I think the trees are bowing because they respect the power of the wind.

Core Lesson Find an example of personification. 1 2 Ask yourself, “When, why, or how do people normally do this?” 3 Write your new ideas about your mental image.

In this lesson, you have learned how to make a mental image stronger by finding examples of personification.

Guided Practice Can you find an example of personification in the poem, “The Sky is Low” by Emily Dickinson? The Sky is Low The sky is low, the clouds are mean, A traveling 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. Emily Dickinson

Extension Activities Read through the poem ““The Sky is Low” by Emily Dickinson again. Find other examples of personification in the poem. What conclusions can you draw?

Write your own poem that uses personification. How does personification make your poem better or more interesting to read?

Quick Quiz Find another example of personification in “Who Has Seen the Wind?” How do you know it’s personification? Who Has Seen the Wind? Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through. Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by. Christina Rossetti