A Retrieved Reformation

In "A Retrieved Reformation," there are several instances of personification, which is a literary device that involves attributing human qualities or characteristics to non-human entities or concepts.

One example of personification in the story is found in the following sentence: "The gray dusk of evening came on, and the lights were put on in the shoe-store and the depot, but still the mournful penitentiary whistle persisted in calling the air."

In this sentence, the penitentiary whistle is personified as "mournful," suggesting that it is capable of experiencing sadness or grief, which is a human emotion. The whistle is also described as "persisting," which implies a level of determination or willpower that is typically associated with human beings.

Another example of personification in the story can be seen in the following sentence: "The door of the cafe opened and an orderly came in with a large milk-can, which he deposited on a side table."

Here, the milk-can is personified as being capable of being "deposited," which is an action typically associated with human beings. By attributing this action to the milk-can, the author is using personification to make the object seem more alive or animate than it actually is.

Overall, the use of personification in "A Retrieved Reformation" serves to make the story more engaging and memorable by giving non-human entities and concepts human qualities and characteristics.