Personification. Personification is a figure of speech in which an idea, animal, or thing is described as if it were a person. Look for examples of personification as you read “Storm Ending.”
Metaphor and Simile. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which one thing is spoken or written about as if it were another. A simile is a comparison using like or as. These figures of speech invite the reader to make a comparison between the two things. The two “things” involved are the writer’s actual subject, the tenor of the metaphor, and another thing to which the subject is likened, the vehicle of the metaphor.
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In “Storm Ending” Toomer describes a storm using such figures of speech as metaphor, simile, and personification. Typical of his verse, “Storm Ending” does not employ new African-American poetic forms, but rather follows established poetic traditions.
As you read, make a chart of the metaphors and similes in the poem. On the left, write the tenor and on the right, write the vehicle. One example has been done for you.
What do you see, hear, touch, taste, and smell during a storm?
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