Which device gives human traits to abstract qualities or notions?

Prepare for the NCEA Level 3 English Unfamiliar Texts Exam. Study with multiple choice quizzes and thorough explanations. Ace your exam!

Personification is a literary device that attributes human characteristics, emotions, and qualities to abstract concepts, inanimate objects, or animals. This technique allows readers to relate to and understand these non-human elements on a personal level, often evoking empathy or enhancing thematic depth in a narrative.

For instance, when an author describes "the angry storm" or "time whispers," they are using personification to give those concepts human-like attributes, making them more vivid and relatable. This device effectively enriches the text and engages the audience's imagination.

Repetition, while important for rhythm and emphasis, does not involve assigning human traits to non-human entities. A noun, as a part of speech, refers simply to people, places, things, or ideas without imparting any qualities. Analogy serves to compare two different things to highlight similarities, but it also does not personify abstract concepts. Each of these alternatives does not fulfill the role of imbuing abstract qualities with human characteristics as personification does.

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