Repetition and Personification in "The Partial Explanation" by Charles Simic

In “The Partial Explanation”, Charles Simic uses an anxious and bored tone to show how people have a need to have social interaction and that loneliness causes feelings of anxiety and boredom. He uses repetition and personification to show this theme. He uses “seems like” twice which gives off a negative connotation of boredom. Using repetition gives off a sense of boredom and need to do something. As he waits for his meal he says “a glass of water keeps me company”. This personification also shows a need for social interaction because he is resorting to inanimate objects to keep him company. When he says he has “a longing, an incredible longing” to listen in on the cooks shows how he is anxious to know why they are taking so long to come out. Simic uses an anxious and boring tone by using repetition and personification to teach that people have a need to have social interaction and that loneliness can have tragic effects over time.