Identify examples of personification in “Building With Its Face Blown Off” by Billy Collins. What is the effect of that figurative language?
Examples of personification in “Building With Its Face Blown Off” by Billy Collins include:
1. “The building seems to be standing in shock.”
2. “It looks as if it is trying to say something.”
3. “It appears to be sharing a secret with the sky”
4. “The wind moves through its empty rooms like an intruder, taking whatever it wants.”
The effect of this figurative language is to create a vivid impression and help readers imagine the scene more clearly and effectively. Personification also makes the building seem almost alive, adding a sense of pathos and tragedy to the poem.