Pathetic fallacy is most closely associated with which literary element?

Pathetic fallacy refers specifically to the literary technique where human emotions are attributed to nature or inanimate objects. This term is often used to create a specific atmosphere or mood within a piece of writing, enhancing the emotional landscape of the narrative by mirroring the characters’ feelings with their surroundings. For example, a stormy sky might accompany a character’s feelings of despair, reinforcing the emotional context of the scene.

By focusing on how the environment reflects the emotional states of characters, pathetic fallacy plays a vital role in imagery, as it utilizes descriptive language to create vivid representations of feelings through the natural world. Therefore, associating pathetic fallacy closely with imagery is accurate, as it relies on the use of evocative descriptions that deepen the reader's emotional experience.