(Horton the Elephant, who is surely among the most lovable of all Dr seuss’s creations and) represents kindness, trustworthiness, and perspective – all wrapped up in a comical and even absurd package.

Why is the above mentioned wrong or worse as opposed to: (Surely among the the most popular of all Dr seuss’s creations, Horton the Elephant).

Is it because “who” should only be used for people?

Thanks!

Nah, you can use “who” for Horton the Elephant. The problem is that the sentence, as written, is a fragment. It puts the main verb, “represents,” inside the appositive, effectively erasing it.

Here, look at these similar but simpler examples:

  • My friend John, who lives in Los Angeles. ← A fragment
  • My friend John lives in Los Angeles. ← A good sentence

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