concept
Anthropomorphism
The attribution of human characteristics, emotions, or behavior to animals, objects, or natural phenomena.
Anthropomorphism is one of the most fundamental devices in folklore and fairy tales. By giving animals human speech, emotions, and motivations, storytellers can explore complex social and moral themes in an accessible way. This technique appears across all cultures — from Aesop's talking foxes to the talking animals in Grimm tales to the animal characters of Native American and African traditions. In some traditions, anthropomorphic animals represent specific human traits: the fox represents cunning, the lion represents courage, and the owl represents wisdom.
Examples
The Big Bad Wolf
The Three Little Pigs
Anansi the Spider