1. PERSONIFICATION Human Characteristics L.8.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

2. Guided Notes When you write about objects, things, ideas, and animals as if they were human, you are using personification. Do you see the root word “person” in the word personification? There are two simple ways to create personification. You can give a human action to a nonhuman object, as in “The flowers dance in the wind.” Or you can compare parts of the nonhuman object to parts of the human body: “The tree has branches for arms and leaves for hands.” 2

3. 3 EXPLANATION 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.

4. 4 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.

5. 5 PRACTICE Directions: Read the sentence, think about the meaning, notice how personification creates a word picture. Identify the personification in each sentence. 1.The fog crept silently into the valley. 2.The tree fought the wind with its branches 3.The computer devoured information all day long. 4.The hikers left the meadow and were swallowed by the forest.

6. 6 REVIEW 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.

7. 7 USING PERSONIFICATION Write three sentences that use personification. Be sure to give some human quality to some nonhuman thing. Choose one sentence and draw a detailed picture that illustrates the personification in the sentence.

8. 8 HELPFUL HINTS To recognize personification: 1.Read the sentence carefully. 2.Try to see the meaning of the words in your mind. 3.Notice how personification creates a word picture and makes the sentence more interesting.