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Paradox
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
Chapter 2: The Council with the Munchkins
Explanation and Analysis—Murmuring Brook:
In Chapter 2, Dorothy wakes up in the Land of Oz. As the book describes her vivid new surroundings, it foreshadows the magical events to come by personifying a little brook:
A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, grey prairies.
Writers commonly describe brooks as "murmuring," but Baum especially focuses on the brook's "voice" and the connection Dorothy feels to it. The brook is speaking to her and beckoning her into the colorful, "sparkling," lush land of Oz. This personification starts to introduce magic and anthropomorphism to the book. As Baum writes here, Dorothy is coming from "the dry, grey prairies" of Kansas. By contrast, this world is anything but dry and grey. It is the kind of place inhabited by characters in fairy tales.
Sure enough, Dorothy soon finds herself in her own fairy tale. She meets a talking Scarecrow, a living Tin Woodman, and a humanoid Lion, none of whom she would have expected to have voices of their own. She finds herself in possession of magic shoes and a magic hat, and she defeats a Wicked Witch by throwing a bucket of water on her. She even meets a man who claims to be an all-powerful Wizard. Throughout Dorothy's journey, fairy tale magic helps her learn about more everyday forms of magic, such as friendship, self-confidence, and the murmur of a stream after a long drought.
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