Imagery

 

What is Imagery?

In literature, imagery refers to words that trigger the reader to recall images, or mental pictures, that engage one of the five senses: sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch. Imagery is one of the strongest literary techniques because it connects to the personal experiences, or memories, of the reader.

 

Showing vs. Telling

Images don’t tell the reader something; they show the reader by using concrete details.

 

Ex. of Telling:  “It was wretched weather in town.”

Ex. of Showing: “Gusts of wind and blasts of rain swept through the town.”

 

Two Common Types of Images:

·         Literal. A literal image represents a literal object or sensation. Its meaning is obvious and realistic and needs no interpretation. It is what it says it is. Literal images are common in both prose and poetry.

·         Figurative. A figurative image means more than what it says it is. It suggests certain meanings that must be interpreted. There are two major ways by which a writer creates a figurative image: 

 

  1. Simile - a figurative image which relies on “like" or “as” to compare two things which are unlike. It is an expressed analogy.

 

Ex. “He acts like a pig at the dinner table.”

 

2.      Metaphor - a figurative image which identifies one thing with another without the use of “like” or “as.” It is an implied analogy. 

 

Ex. “He is a pig at the dinner table.”

 

Strategies for Organizing an Essay on Imagery:

There are several ways to organize your essay on imagery. You can discuss:

·        Images suggesting ideas and/or moods. What ideas or moods are evoked by the images?

·        Types of images. Is there a predominance of a particular type of image?

·        Patterns of images. Is there a pattern of similar or consistent images?

 

When Writing about Imagery, Ask the Following Questions:

·        What types of images prevail in the work?

·        How vivid are the images?

·        What explanation is needed for the images?

·        What effect do the images have on you? How do you respond to them?

·        How well are the images integrated in the work?

·        Within a group of images, do the images pertain to one location rather than another? For example, country vs. city or indoors vs. outdoors.

 

Remember:

Imagery enhances character, setting, meaning, and theme in literature. Sensory imagery adds emotional power to writing because it connects with personal experiences of the reader.