Question

what does the personification in this text suggest?
there was never a sound beside the wood but one,
and that was my long scythe whispering to the ground.
—robert frost, \mowing\
the scythe gently touched the ground.
the scythe was speaking quietly.
the scythe made a soft swishing sound.

Explanation:

Personification is giving human - like qualities to non - human entities. In the text, the scythe is described as “whispering to the ground”, “speaking quietly”, and “gently touched the ground”. A scythe is an inanimate object, but these actions (whispering, speaking, touching gently) are human actions. So the personification here suggests that the scythe is being portrayed as having human - like behaviors, making it seem as if it is a living or sentient being that can communicate and act in a gentle, human - like way.

Answer:

The personification in the text suggests that the scythe (an inanimate object) is given human - like qualities: it is described as “whispering to the ground”, “speaking quietly”, and “gently touching the ground”, making it seem as if the scythe can act and communicate like a human.