The sea was like a fierce, black dragon. Is this an example of personification or simile?
Is it giving anything human characteristics?
Is it making a comparison using "like" or "as"?
The first is personification; the second is simile. What is your decision?
When it's using "like" or "as" it's a simile. When using no like or as it is a metaphor.
Example (simile): The grass was like a big jungle.
Example: (metaphor): The grass was a big jungle.
Personification is when something that is not human is given human-like qualities.
Example: Stars danced in the moonlit sky.
Danced is a human like quality, given to un-human things (stars).
To determine whether this sentence is an example of personification or simile, we first need to understand the difference between the two literary devices.
Personification is a figure of speech in which human qualities or characteristics are attributed to non-human objects or animals. It gives inanimate objects or abstract concepts human-like qualities or abilities. For example, "The sea roared angrily" or "The wind whispered through the trees." In personification, the sea or the wind is being described as if they were humans, able to express anger or whisper.
On the other hand, a simile is the comparison of two different things using the words "like" or "as." It establishes a direct and explicit comparison between the two subjects. For example, "He runs like a cheetah" or "Her voice was as soft as velvet." In similes, there is a clear indication of the comparison using the words "like" or "as."
Now, looking at the sentence "The sea was like a fierce, black dragon," we can see that it uses the word "like" to directly compare the sea to a fierce, black dragon. Therefore, this sentence is an example of a simile. It compares the characteristics of the sea to those of a dragon, emphasizing its fierceness and darkness.
In summary, the sentence "The sea was like a fierce, black dragon" is an example of a simile because it explicitly uses the word "like" to establish a comparison between the sea and a dragon.