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“So Much Happiness” by Naomi Shihab Nye
Prompt
Personification is a term used for giving physical characteristics or innate qualities of animation
to something that is abstract or inanimate. With this in mind, identify instances of personification
in "So Much Happiness," and analyze how they contribute to the poem's overall meaning. What
does personification achieve that simple description cannot?
Be sure to use direct quotes and evidence from this excerpt to support your claims.

1 Answer

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Answer:

In "So Much Happiness" by Naomi Shihab Nye, there are several instances of personification that contribute to the poem's overall meaning. For example, the line "It is hard to believe the houses / have bodies in them" personifies the houses by giving them a physical characteristic of having bodies. This contributes to the poem's overall meaning by emphasizing the idea that happiness is not just an abstract concept, but something that can be felt and experienced in the physical world. Another example of personification is the line "Even the dry riverbed / starts to sing." This personifies the dry riverbed by giving it the innate quality of being able to sing. This contributes to the poem's overall meaning by emphasizing the idea that happiness can be found in unexpected places, even in something as seemingly lifeless as a dry riverbed. Personification achieves a level of depth and meaning that simple description cannot, as it allows the reader to connect with the abstract concepts in a more tangible way.

Step-by-step explanation:

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