Personification
Category: Rhetorical Device
What is it?
Personification attributes human qualities, motivations, or behaviors to non-human entities like objects, animals, or abstract concepts. While it can be a powerful literary device, it can also mislead by suggesting agency or intention where none exists.
Examples
'The market is nervous about the upcoming regulations.'
'Nature is fighting back against human pollution.'
How to Avoid This
Be aware when you're using personification and consider whether it might mislead about causation or agency. Use more precise language when discussing complex systems.
How to Counter This
Identify the personification and restate more precisely: 'The market isn't actually nervous—what we're seeing is individual investors reacting to uncertainty about how regulations will affect profits.'