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Pathetic Fallacy?

I was wondering what the definition of 'pathetic fallacy' was, because my teacher used it in to describe an authors view on nature, however I always had been led to believe that it was another term for anthromorphism?

Any ideas?

Cheers :smile:

Reply 1

lella_m

12

"The description of inanimate natural objects in a manner that endows them with human emotions, thoughts, sensations, and feelings - 'the friendly sun' is an example of the pathetic fallacy"

Reply 2

milesofsea

15

its basically personification of nature :smile:

Reply 3

twilight-imagine

6

As far as I've been taught, pathetic fallacy is mostly used as a reflection of weather upon a written piece. It's kind of like the way you think that sometimes, weather reacts to how you're feeling. In films they usually use rain when the characters are getting upset and sunshine to show a happy atmosphere - and it's the same in books. One of the good examples in literature is in Great Expectations, where fog is used to foreshadow dark events in Pip's life.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A19803738 This website gives you a good summary of pathetic fallacy and gives some examples from poems - it's always a good thing to mention in exams if you can find the quote to back it up.

Hope this helps =D

Reply 4

stephyrose23

I was told that pathetic fallacy is when something is described, say "It was a cold, rainy day" and then the person in the story is in a really bad mood or something really bad has happened. So its like poetic justice, if that makes sense.

Stupid English teacher.

Reply 5

The Bachelor

13

Anthropromorphism, yeah.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathetic_fallacy

Reply 6

Dewsy

OP

11

Thanks for all of your replies :smile:

Reply 7

hannahhi

15

stephyrose23

I was told that pathetic fallacy is when something is described, say "It was a cold, rainy day" and then the person in the story is in a really bad mood or something really bad has happened. So its like poetic justice, if that makes sense.

Stupid English teacher.

That's what I was taught too :yes:

Reply 8

username196545

19

stephyrose23

I was told that pathetic fallacy is when something is described, say "It was a cold, rainy day" and then the person in the story is in a really bad mood or something really bad has happened. So its like poetic justice, if that makes sense.

This.

Reply 9

jollyrogera

6

stephyrose23

I was told that pathetic fallacy is when something is described, say "It was a cold, rainy day" and then the person in the story is in a really bad mood or something really bad has happened. So its like poetic justice, if that makes sense.

Stupid English teacher.

But that is essentially the same thing as the personification of nature. By linking the weather to a mood, "It was a rainy day. I was sad." the weather (an inanimate, natural object) is being personified as it is being given a mood, that of being sad.

Reply 10

stephyrose23

jollyrogera

But that is essentially the same thing as the personification of nature. By linking the weather to a mood, "It was a rainy day. I was sad." the weather (an inanimate, natural object) is being personified as it is being given a mood, that of being sad.

Personally, I don't think so.

Because if you say "It was a rainy day. I was sad," your not giving the rain or weather a human like quality. You are just stating that the weather is bad and irronically it suits to your mood.

Reply 11

The Bachelor

13

Bubbles*de*Milo

This.

The person was saying this was not right, right? (Just to make 100% sure.)

Reply 12

username196545

19

The Bachelor

The person was saying this was not right, right? (Just to make 100% sure.)

Urm..?

I was told that pathetic fallacy is when something is described, say "It was a cold, rainy day" and then the person in the story is in a really bad mood or something really bad has happened. So its like poetic justice, if that makes sense.

All I know is that that's right.

Reply 13

FiveFiveSix

15

Like how it always rains at funerals - life imitating art.

Mind you, it was a lovely day when we cremated my ol' nan the other day, maybe God was trying to tell us something?

'Ding, dong, the witch is dead...'

Reply 14

milesofsea

15

FiveFiveSix

Like how it always rains at funerals - life imitating art.

Mind you, it was a lovely day when we cremated my ol' nan the other day, maybe God was trying to tell us something?

'Ding, dong, the witch is dead...'

What a delightfully loving grandson you were/are.

Reply 15

FiveFiveSix

15

milesofsea

What a delightfully loving grandson you were/are.

What a vicious, nasty, bad-tempered, vindictive and selfish old bag she was.

I have my reasons, believe me.

How about hearing that your cousin is the disgrace and embarassment of the family, because she's disabled? Or that your parents are going to split up, and it's all your fault?

She was a real piece of work, my ol' nan.

Reply 16

milesofsea

15

FiveFiveSix

What a vicious, nasty, bad-tempered, vindictive and selfish old bag she was.

I have my reasons, believe me.

How about hearing that your cousin is the disgrace and embarassment of the family, because she's disabled? Or that your parents are going to split up, and it's all your fault?

She was a real piece of work, my ol' nan.