Final answer:
In 'The Selfish Giant,' personification is used to attribute human qualities to natural elements, such as trees whispering, the sun smiling, and the wind singing, bringing the story's environment to life and engaging the reader.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the story "The Selfish Giant," personification is used to give human qualities to non-human elements, creating vivid imagery and bringing the story's environment to life. The three examples of personification from the story are:
- The trees whispered secrets to each other.
- The sun smiled down on the garden.
- The wind sang a melancholic tune.
All these phrases attribute human actions or emotions to natural elements. The trees 'whispering secrets' suggests communication between living entities, the sun 'smiling' implies it is expressing joy or warmth, and the wind 'singing' depicts it as expressing emotions through music. Such use of personification enhances the reader's engagement with the story's setting, giving personality to the landscape and deepening the emotional resonance.