Which figure of speech is illustrated by 'The wind whispered through the trees'?

• A. Metonymy
• B. Onomatopoeia
• C. Personification
• D. Apostrophe

Answer: (C)

Personification is when a non-human thing is described with human attributes. In "The wind whispered through the trees," the wind is given the human action of whispering, as if it can speak and convey intent. That human-like behavior is not something the wind literally does, which is what makes this a clear example of personification. Onomatopoeia would involve words that imitate sounds, metonymy replaces a thing with something closely linked to it, and apostrophe involves directly addressing a nonpresent or inanimate thing as if it could respond. So the wind, performing a human action, illustrates personification.