Personification 

is a poetic device where animals, plants or even inanimate

objects, are given human qualities – resulting in a poem full of imagery and
description.
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The great William Shakespeare uses personification throughout Romeo and
Juliet. One example is in Act 2 when Friar Lawrence is picking flowers for his
various potions. In describing the morning as smiling at the night, he is
personifying the morning and establishing a romantic setting for Romeo and
Juliet's love to unfold.
"The grey-ey'd morn smiles on the frowning night,
Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light."

An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or

impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the words in the
phrase.
Purpose of Idiom in Writing
- As a literary device, idioms are useful to writers as a means of
incorporating figurative language in a literary work. Idioms can reveal
aspects of a character’s personality as well as add flair to the writing of
a narrative. Here are the primary purposes of idioms in writing:
- Maintain reader interest: When writers incorporate idioms into their
narratives, the reader must think abstractly rather than literally to understand
the meaning of the phrase or expression. This can help maintain the reader’s
interest as they must conceptualize the figurative language in order to
comprehend the meaning of the idiom. This literary device can also provide
visual imagery and context so the reader is more engaged with the writing.
- Convey complex ideas with simple expression: Idioms are often used
to convey abstract ideas in a concise way that is easy to understand. This is
especially effective if readers are familiar with the meaning of the idiom
used as an expression.
- Incorporate humor: As expressions, idioms are often humorous in
their descriptive qualities or clever phrasing. In addition, the use of this
literary device may be unexpected for readers, which can help a writer
effectively incorporate humor in a literary work.
- Establish tone: There are often several idioms associated with
expressing ideas that are commonly shared or universal such as death, love,
money, etc. Depending on which idiom a writer chooses, the tone of the
literary work may change. If a writer chooses an idiom that is more formally
worded, this would establish a different tone than if an idiom that is crassly
worded is chosen, even though the meaning of these idioms may be nearly
identical.
- Indicate a specific geographical region: Idioms are not just endemic to
particular languages; they can also be unique to different geographical
regions. As a literary device, idioms can be an effective strategy for writers
 to indicate the setting of a work as well as provide authenticity to characters
and dialogue.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain)

Well, I see I was up a stump – and up it good. Providence had stood by me
this fur all right, but I was hard and tight aground now. I see it warn’t a bit of use
to try to go ahead – I’d got to throw up my hand. So I says to myself, here’s
another place where I got to resk the truth. I opened my mouth to begin; but she
grabbed me and hustled me in behind the bed…
In his well-known novel, Mark Twain writes the story almost entirely in
the vernacular of the title and supporting characters. This gives the novel a sense of
authenticity, humor, and enhances the experience for the reader. However, for
those unfamiliar with Huckleberry Finn’s dialect and expressions of the American
South, some readers may have difficulty fully understanding certain phrases
without heavily relying on the context.
For example, in this passage, Huckleberry Finn narrates that he is “up a
stump.” This is an idiom reflecting that Huck is not literally up a stump, but rather
he has found himself in a dilemma and challenging situation. Mark Twain’s use of
this idiom is effective in that the figurative language conjures an image of physical
predicament to underscore Huck’s circumstantial predicament.

Some additional key details about idioms:

Idioms are usually specific to a particular region, culture, language,
or dialect, and they are often difficult to translate from one language or culture to
another.
Although many idioms are widely understood by people within the region,
culture, or language where they are used, some idioms are less commonly used
than others, and therefore would not make sense to someone who hadn't heard the
idiom used frequently, or who hadn't has the meaning explained to them.
Idioms become popularized through everyday spoken language, but they are
widely used in writing and literature, too. Writers often use idioms in dialogue in
order to create realistic voices for their characters, and using idioms can also more
generally make writing seem down-to-earth and accessible.