Pathetic Fallacy Flashcards

A literary device where human emotions are attributed to nature or inanimate objects.

To reflect or enhance the mood, atmosphere, or emotions in a text.

‘The storm raged as he felt his anger boil over.’ The storm mirrors the character’s anger.

Pathetic fallacy links emotions to nature or objects, while personification gives human qualities to non-human things.

It helps readers connect emotionally with the text and understand the mood or tone.

Often used to create atmosphere, e.g., ‘The gloomy clouds hung low, echoing her sadness.’

Used to reflect a character’s emotions or foreshadow events, e.g., ‘The sun shone brightly, promising hope.’

Look for how the writer uses weather or nature to reflect emotions in the fiction extract.

Analyse how writers use it in non-fiction to convey mood or reinforce their viewpoint.

Use this term in your analysis to show understanding of language methods and their effects.