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Pathos
Definition of Personification
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down on the wedding guests, indifferent... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the... read full definition
Chapters 1–16
Explanation and Analysis—The Social Enemy:
While mulling over Strickland's morality, the narrator considers the strength of conformity through personification:
Man’s desire for the approval of his fellows is so strong, his dread of their censure so violent, that he himself has brought his enemy within his gates; and it keeps watch over him, vigilant always in the interests of its master to crush any half-formed desire to break away from the herd.
In the narrator's mind, conformity to the rules is the enemy of the people. It is the invader in their minds that intently watches them and keeps him in the herd. Conformity is poison to individuality and self-expression, both of which Strickland desires more than his own family. By personifying conformity, the narrator emphasizes its power and therefore the difficulty of overcoming it. Because Strickland has managed to do so, he lives up to his legacy of greatness.
This greatness, though, is always at odds with morality. Strickland may be brave and resolute, but he is certainly not the paragon of kindness. His actions suggest that one cannot have both morality and greatness. Conformity is the barrier between the two that holds Strickland back for most of his life. Once he breaks through this barrier, he is able to access his true artistic vision, if only at the expense of his family.
Related Themes:
Chapters 43–58
Explanation and Analysis—Passion as a Demon:
In Chapter 54, the narrator discusses the concept of beauty with Captain René Brunot as it relates to Strickland's endeavors. The Captain personifies Strickland's passion for beauty as a demon within him:
And the passion that held Strickland was a passion to create beauty. It gave him no peace. It urged him hither and thither. He was eternally a pilgrim, haunted by a divine nostalgia, and the demon within him was ruthless. There are men whose desire for truth is so great that to attain it they will shatter the very foundation of their world. Of such was Strickland, only beauty with him took the place of truth.
Even the Captain, who only knew Strickland during the final years of his life in Tahiti, understands Strickland's inability to stop chasing his artistic vision. No matter the consequences, Strickland acted as if he was charged with following his passion and creating beauty. For this reason, the captain personifies Strickland's passion as a demon inside of him that pulls Strickland every which way and never gives him a moment of peace. The demon's idea of peace is artistic actualization, where Strickland finds his most truthful artistic vision right before death.
The personification of Strickland's passion as a demon continues later in the novel as well:
The demon which possessed him was exorcised at last, and with the completion of the work, for which all his life had been a painful preparation, rest descended on his remote and tortured soul.
It's notable that comparing Strickland's passion to a demon could be read as a justification for all of his terrible behavior: abandoning his first family, inciting Blanche's suicide, beating his second wife, and so on. Yet, it is true that demonizing his passion explains much of his behavior.
Related Themes:
