Examples of Personification: Top 25+ Real Examples of Personification in Everyday Life and Stories

Examples of personification are everywhere—books, cartoons, poems, and even the weather forecast. But what is personification? Let’s keep it simple: Personification is when you give human feelings or actions to non-human things.

Think of the wind whispering, or a car refusing to start. These things can’t really do that, but when we say they can, it makes stories and descriptions more fun!

In this guide, you’ll find 25+ examples of personification with meanings, real-life uses, case studies, a chart, and easy explanations even a kid can understand. Let’s jump right in!

✅ What Is Personification? (In Simple Words)

Personification is when you make an object, animal, or idea do something only humans can do.

👉 Examples:

• “The sun smiled at us.”
• “My phone is acting weird today.”
• “The leaves danced in the wind.”

These things (sun, phone, leaves) can’t really smile, act, or dance like people, but we say they do to add emotion and life to what we say.

📚 According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, personification means giving human traits to something that is not human.

🧠 Why Do Writers Use Personification?

Writers use personification to:

• Make their writing more interesting
• Help readers imagine better
• Create emotions or feelings
• Tell stories in fun ways

Just like cartoons make animals talk and walk, personification helps readers connect with things more deeply.

🔥 Real-Life Examples of Personification

Let’s explore real-world situations where personification makes things come alive.

🌧️ 1. The thunder grumbled like an old man.

• Human action: Grumbling
• What’s doing it? Thunder

⏰ 2. My alarm clock screamed at me this morning.

• Human action: Screaming
• What’s doing it? Alarm clock

🛏️ 3. The bed begged me to stay a little longer.

• Human action: Begging
• What’s doing it? Bed

🚗 4. My car refused to start today.

• Human action: Refusing
• What’s doing it? Car

🌬️ 5. The wind whispered through the trees.

• Human action: Whispering
• What’s doing it? Wind

🍔 6. The burger called my name.

• Human action: Calling
• What’s doing it? Burger

🧾 Examples of Personification in Stories and Poems

Famous stories and poems often use personification. Let’s look at a few examples.

📖 1. Beauty and the Beast (Disney)

• Example: Lumière, the talking candle, and Mrs. Potts, the talking teapot.
• What it teaches: Even objects can have feelings and wisdom in stories.

📖 2. “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath

• “I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.”
• The mirror speaks like a person. It tells its own story.

📖 3. “Because I could not stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson

• Death is described as a gentleman who kindly stops for the speaker.
• Death is not a person, but here he acts like one.

📊 Table: Common Examples of Personification

Object/Idea	Personified Action	Sentence Example
Wind	Whispered	“The wind whispered in my ears.”
Sun	Smiled	“The sun smiled down at us.”
Car	Coughed and refused	“My car coughed and refused to start.”
Time	Flies	“Time flies when you’re having fun.”
Flowers	Danced	“The flowers danced in the breeze.”
Moon	Watched	“The moon watched silently over the valley.”

📚 Case Study: Personification in Advertising

Many companies use personification in ads to create emotion and trust.

🍫 Case Study: M&M’s

• M&M’s commercials show the candies walking, talking, and showing emotions.
• Result: Kids and adults connect with them emotionally.
• Lesson: Personification makes a product more human and fun!

🚗 Case Study: Toyota Car Ads

• Cars in ads are shown to smile, speed with joy, or get sad when dirty.
• This makes buyers think of their cars as loyal and alive.

📖 Read more about advertising techniques to see how personification boosts sales.

🔤 Examples of Personification for Kids

Here are easy examples perfect for school students:

🧃 1. “The juice box laughed when it squirted me.”

🖍️ 2. “My crayons argued over who gets used first.”

📕 3. “The book opened its arms and welcomed me in.”

Fun and simple, right? These make learning more exciting and stories more enjoyable.

💬 FAQs About Examples of Personification

❓ What is the meaning of personification?

Personification means giving human qualities or actions to non-human things. It makes writing more fun and creative.

❓ How is personification different from metaphor?

A metaphor compares two things.
Personification gives life or feelings to objects or ideas.

❓ Can animals be personified?

Yes! When animals talk, feel, or think like humans in stories, that is personification.

❓ Where is personification used?

It’s used in:

• Poems
• Stories
• Songs
• Cartoons
• Advertisements
• Movies
• Classroom learning

❓ Why do kids need to learn personification?

It helps them understand stories better, become better writers, and express their thoughts in fun ways.

📝 Conclusion

Understanding examples of personification helps bring your writing to life. Whether you’re writing a poem, telling a story, or describing your day, using personification adds magic and makes people feel connected to what you’re saying.

So the next time your phone is “being moody,” or your bed “calls you back,” smile! You’re using personification like a pro.

📎 External Links for More Learning

• Personification Definition by Merriam-Webster
• Examples in Children’s Literature – Storyberries
• BBC Bitesize: Personification Explained for Kids