Giving human qualities to nonhuman things is which literary device?

• A. Metaphor
• B. Alliteration
• C. Personification
• D. Onomatopoeia

Answer: (C)

Personification is giving human qualities to nonhuman things. This device brings objects, animals, or ideas to life by describing them as if they could think, feel, or act like people, which helps create vivid imagery and connection for the reader. For example, saying the wind whispered through the trees invokes a human trait to a natural force, making the scene more memorable. The other terms describe different techniques: alliteration repeats initial sounds in nearby words, onomatopoeia uses words that imitate sounds, and metaphor makes a direct, one-to-one comparison without using like or as. In this item, describing nonhuman things with human traits fits exactly.