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Questions

Cartoonist Stephan Pastis uses anthropomorphism in his Pearls Before Swine comic strip. Explain the difference between anthropomorphism and personification.


Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the answers.

Cartoon by Stephan Pastis

Answers

Personification – when human characteristics are given to animals or inanimate objects; a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to an abstract quality, animal, or inanimate object. Examples include:

  • The flowers danced in the breeze.
  • The clock ticked impatiently as the meeting dragged on. (The clock, a mechanical object, is described as “ticking impatiently,” suggesting a human-like frustration.)

Anthropomorphism – a type of personification that gives human characteristics to non-humans or objects – especially animals.
–There is a slight difference between these two. Personification is an act of giving human characteristics to animals or objects to create imagery, while anthropomorphism aims to make an animal or object behave and appear like they are human beings. (literarydevices.net)