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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
Chapter 32
Explanation and Analysis—Paris, 1944:
To heighten and illustrate the highly dangerous conditions of Paris as the Nazis exerted full control over France in 1944, Hannah personifies the city itself in Chapter 32:
Isabelle stood on a busy Paris street corner, ready to cross, but before her ratty, wooden-soled shoe hit the cobblestone, a whistle shrieked. She backed into the shade of a flowering chestnut tree. These days, Paris was a woman screaming. Noise, noise, noise. Whistles blaring, shotguns firing, lorries rumbling, soldiers shouting. The tide of the war had shifted.
The passage above uses personification to attribute human noise and human loudness to the city of Paris itself. By characterizing the entire city in this way, Hannah effectively demonstrates the immense toll that World War II takes upon Paris. Even though the end of the war is near, and “the war has shifted” now that the Allies have made significant gains in the fight against the Nazis, Paris remains a treacherous place as the Nazis tighten their grip in efforts to maintain control.
Hannah emphasizes the effects of Nazi control through her choice to write that Paris was a woman, as opposed to writing that Paris was like a woman, or any other simile that might compare the two things without directly replacing one with the other. By personifying Paris itself—and its tortured feminine character—Hannah also demonstrates that Nazi influence leaves no stone unturned: their political, social, and economic takeover touches every inch of Paris. However, the presence of excessive noise also indicates to Isabelle that life remains, and with it a sense of resistance against the fascist government.
Related Themes:
