Personification (prosopopeia): what is it, examples

THE personification, also known as prosopopoeia, is a stylistic resource in which gives human characteristics to non-human beings, such as animals or inanimate objects. So, this figure of speech is very present in Tales, prose and even in advertising.

Read too: Metonymy - linguistic resource in which one term is replaced by another

What is impersonation?

Impersonation is used when humanizes (personifies) inanimate objects or animals not belonging to the human species, attributing to them typically human characteristics and actions.

This figure of speech is widely used in fiction, as in literature, lyrics and advertising, as it allows a lyrical or comic effect in its composition. Cartoons and comics often use this figure of speech with personified characters. Let's look at some examples.

Impersonation examples

The personification is widely used in artistic language to express human concepts, stories and characteristics using non-human beings. In the excerpt below the story The Fortune teller, in

Machado de Assis, a virtue and interest take on human traits, as "laziness" and the characteristic of being "active", thus having personification:

“Virtue is lazy and greedy, does not waste time or paper; only interest is active and lavish.”

Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)

The romance the animal revolution, by George Orwell, tells the story of animals on a farm that organize to rebel against humans, so that the animals can self-govern in the farm. Let's see an excerpt:

“There had been a rumor during the day that old Major, a pig who had already won a prize at an exhibition, had had a very strange dream the night before and wanted to tell the other animals about it. [...]

The Major raised his paw for silence.

“Comrades,” he said, “there is a point that needs to be cleared up. Will rebellious creatures such as rats and rabbits be our friends or our enemies? Let's put the matter to a vote. I present the following question to the assembly: are rats comrades?

The vote was taken immediately and it was concluded, by an overwhelming majority, that the rats were comrades. There were only four votes against, of the three dogs and the cat, who, later found out, had voted for both sides.”

In poetry and music, there is also much use of personification. In the verses below the song The drunk and the tightrope walker, composed by João Bosco and Aldir Blanc, we see the effect of personification in moon that asks the stars for a rental shine. Such stars are inanimate, but gain human actions to create the lyrical effect.

"The moon, like a brothel owner,

I asked each cold star for a rental glow"

(João Bosco and Aldir Blanc)

the animation saga toystory tells a story based entirely on personification, because its protagonists are toys (therefore inanimate objects) that have human attributes, such as rationality and the ability to have and express feelings.

the characters in the movie Toy Story are examples of personification. [1]

As we could see, impersonation is a very flexible figure of speech., as it humanizes any and all non-human beings, such as stars, objects, feelings, any other non-human animal, among other possibilities.

Heads up: do not confuse personification with animalization and reification.

• Personification is only the humanization of non-human beings.

• Animalization occurs when characteristics of other animals are attributed to humans.

• Reification occurs when attributes of inanimate beings are attributed to animate beings.

See too: Hyperbole - figure of speech that expresses intensity and exaggeration

solved exercises

Question 1 - (UFPE) Check the alternative where the author does NOT use prosopopeia.

A) “Lightness smiled in the air: exactly that. It was a sigh of the world." (Clarice Lispector)

B) “Words are not born tied, they jump, kiss, dissolve…” (Drummond)

C) "When that non-word takes the bait, something is written." (Clarice Lispector)

D) “Poetry goes to the corner to buy a newspaper”. (Gullar smith)

E) “My name is Severino, I don't have another sink”. (João Cabral de Melo Neto)

Resolution

Alternative E. In the sentence, there are no non-human entities with human characteristics.

Question 2 - (FGV) There is an example of prosopopeia in:

A) "How I envy those who have not forgotten the color of the first pants they wore!"

B) “And rather than confusion be forgotten; explain myself.”

C) "The rivers, the mountains, the churches that I did not see in the pages I read."

D) "No, no, my memory is not good."

AND) "... and the bugles unleash the notes that slept on the metal, and everything marches on with an unforeseen soul.”

Resolution

Alternative E. The personification occurs by attributing the sleeping action to musical notes, which are not animate beings.

Image credit

[1] Papin Lab / Shutterstock

By Guilherme Viana
grammar teacher