Which figure of speech gives human characteristics to inanimate objects or animals?

• A. Simile
• B. Metaphor
• C. Personification
• D. Anaphora

Answer: (C)

Personification is the figure of speech that gives human qualities to something that isn’t human. It brings inanimate objects or animals to life by attributing thoughts, feelings, or actions that only people typically have, which helps readers relate to them more vividly. Examples like “the wind whispered through the trees” or “the clock groaned as the hour struck” show how human traits are assigned to nonhuman things, making the scene feel more alive.

To see why this is the best fit, consider what the other devices do. A simile uses like or as to compare two things; a metaphor states that one thing is another; and anaphora repeats a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses for emphasis. None of these inherently involve giving human characteristics to nonhuman things the way personification does.