Lesson 10 — Activity 3: Personification and Onomatopoeia


Two other literary devices we may come across when reading or use ourselves when speaking or writing are personification and onomatopoeia. These are both very common in poetry, but we may also find them in prose and in spoken language.

Personification
As the word suggests, personification means that something that isn't human is described as though it is a person. In other words, animals, objects, or ideas are given human qualities or characteristics.

Here are some examples of personification:

  • The cat stared suspiciously at the goldfish that was swimming innocently in his bowl. (Only humans can "stare suspiciously.")
  • Time is a cruel master. (Humans can be masters, but time cannot.)
  • The wind carelessly took my hat and ran off with it. (Humans can run off with my hat, but the wind cannot.)
  • The squirrel angrily scolded the dog. (He may seem to be scolding, but that is a human activity.)
  • The soft armchair held me close. (A human can hold you, but a chair cannot!)

Here are some examples of personification in poems:

"Hey, Diddle, Diddle" by Mother Goose
Hey, diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.                                                             

  
Public Domain
In this poem, we have a little dog laughing and a dish and spoon running away together!


"My Town" by Sharon Hendricks
The leaves on the ground danced in the wind
The brook sang merrily as it went on its way.
The fence posts gossiped and watched cars go by
which winked at each other just to say hi.
The traffic lights yelled, ”Stop, slow, go!”
The tires gripped the road as if clinging to life.
Stars in the sky blinked and winked out
While the hail was as sharp as a knife.
     
Image courtesy of www.pixabay.com

This poem has many instances of personification: leaves dancing, a brook singing, fence posts talking and watching, traffic lights yelling, tires gripping the road, and stars blinking and winking.


Onomatopoeia
Spelling onomatopoeia is a challenge, but the term refers to words that are the same as the sounds they make.

Here are some examples of onomatopoeia:

  • buzz
  • sizzle
  • cuckoo
  • ring
  • splash
In poems where sound is very important to the meaning, onomatopoeia is often used very effectively.


Here are poems that use onomatopoeia:

"Crack an Egg" by Denise Rodgers  
                             
Crack an egg.
Stir the butter.
Break the yolk.
Make it flutter.
Stoke the heat.
Hear it sizzle.
Shake the salt,
just a drizzle.
Flip it over,
just like that.
Press it down.
Squeeze it flat.
Pop the toast.
Spread jam thin.
Say the word.
Breakfast's in.
from A Little Bit of Nonsense




"Push Button" by Shel Silverstein

I push the light switch button and click the light goes on.
I push the lawn mower button and voom it mows the lawn.



I push the root beer button and whoosh it fills my cup.
I push the glove compartment button clack it opens up.
I push the TV button and zap there's Wyatt Earp.
I push my belly button...BURP!               
Images courtesy of www.pixabay.com