Final answer:
The chainsaw is being personified in the phrase by suggesting it can 'sing,' which is a human attribute. Personification is a common literary device used to create relatable and vivid imagery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The personification in the phrase 'as his chainsaw sang its deadly son' attributes human characteristics to an inanimate object, the chainsaw, suggesting it can 'sing' as a person does. Personification is a literary device used to create vivid imagery or convey a certain mood or emotion. It is often employed in prose and poetry to bring non-human entities to life, making them more relatable to the reader.
In the provided examples, this technique is illustrated through various instances where non-human elements are depicted performing human actions, such as a willow tree that 'slowly swayed his few high bright tendrils and sang,' or nature teaching 'more of man, of moral evil and of good' than human sages.