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Motifs
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
Day Two: Morning
Explanation and Analysis—The Hen:
In Day Two: Morning, Stevens drives slowly to Salisbury. He stops nearby because a chicken is crossing the road and won't make way for his car. He describes this incident with charming imagery and a touch of personification.
The land had become very open and flat at that point, enabling one to see a considerable distance in all directions, and the spire of Salisbury Cathedral had become visible on the skyline up ahead. […] I saw only just in time a hen crossing my path in the most leisurely manner. I brought the Ford to a halt only a foot or two from the fowl, which in turn ceased its journey […] When after a moment it had not moved, I resorted to the car horn, but this had no effect other than to make the creature commence pecking at something on the ground.
Stevens's deliberate and slow pace has yet another benefit: he won't run over any loose chickens. He admires the English landscape once more and looks from a distance at the cathedral and the horizon, describing both with his usual clean imagery. However, the chicken (which is just as much a part of the English landscape) is only visible from up close. Stevens makes the personified hen sound as if it's on vacation, or doesn't have a worry in the world—he says it "[crossed] my path in the most leisurely manner." He also calls its escape a "journey." Once again, his formal tone and the humorous situation he finds himself in are juxtaposed to comedic effect.
