What anthropomorphism is

A term you'll meet in figurative technique.

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human form, personality, and behaviour to something non-human — an animal, object, god, or force — treating it, within the story, as if it genuinely were a human character. Talking, scheming, feeling animals are the classic case.

How it works

When a story anthropomorphises, the non-human thing doesn't just briefly seem human — it acts human throughout. The pigs in Orwell's Animal Farm hold meetings and betray each other; the toys in countless tales have ongoing wants and friendships. The non-human character is built to behave like a person from start to finish.

Anthropomorphism vs. personification

This is the distinction students most often need. Personification is a brief figure of speech — "the wind whispered," "the sun smiled" — a momentary, poetic flourish. Anthropomorphism is structural: the non-human thing is a literal, sustained character with human traits. Personification decorates a line; anthropomorphism builds a character.

Why writers use it

Anthropomorphism lets writers explore human nature at a safe, instructive distance. Fables use animal characters so a moral can be shown cleanly, free of the specifics of real people. It can also create wonder, comedy, or — in works like Watership Down — a strange new sympathy for the non-human world.

How to read it

Ask what the human-shaped animal or object lets the author say that a human character couldn't say as easily. The non-human mask usually exists to make a point about us — sharper for being told slant.

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