Question

Personification is an upsetting of reader expectation?
1) True
2) False

Answer 1

False.

Personification is giving inanimate object lifelike qualities. Ex. The door wheezed as it flew shut. The wind ticked the leaves. The washing machines jumped off the ground.

Answer 2

Personification is not about upsetting reader expectations; it is a literary device used to attribute human characteristics to non-human things for the sake of vivid imagery and emotive effect.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that 'Personification is an upsetting of reader expectation' is false. Personification does not inherently upset reader expectations; rather, it is a literary device used to give human characteristics to non-human entities. For example, in Laura Kasischke's poem 'Hostess,' phrases like 'papery tongues whispering little rumors' attribute human actions (whispering rumors) to non-human objects (irises). This creates vivid imagery and can enhance the emotive power of the text. Similarly, Evans notes that Desmond uses personification to describe poverty as a 'formidable enemy,' assigning to it qualities typically associated with a dangerous adversary.