Personification Personified!

"In many ways he was like America itself, big and strong, full of good intentions, a roll of fat jiggling at his belly, slow of foot but always plodding along, always there when you needed him, a believer in the virtues of simplicity and directness and hard labor (pg 117)."

Obviously, the country of America is not physically big and strong, nor does it have a roll of fat to be jiggled. The author knows that any semi-educated reader will know this. Because of this, the literary tool that is personification proves to be extremely useful. To create an image, one must use words that aid the nervous system in physically experiencing what the author intends it to. While this might sound impossible, it has been scientifically proven through a method much like that of Pavlov's Dogs that the mere indication of something enjoyable can send our senses into a tizzy. Authors take full advantage of this fact. Giving America real, commonman traits serves the purpose of endearing the reader to Henry Dobbins. The author wants you to be able to relate to Dobbins, linking him to the country that we, as Americans, take so much pride in.