Personification

A figure of speech that gives human qualities to objects, animals, or ideas.

Example From Text

Among the terriers he stalked imperiously, and Toots and Ysabel he utterly ignored, for he was king,-king over all creeping, crawling, flying things of Judge Miller's place, humans included.

Explanation

Can a dog really be a king? Here, Jack London gives Buck the human characteristic of a king. The author does this to emphasize that Buck has complete control over Judge Miller's place.