Imagery (literature)  

From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

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Imagery is used in literature to refer to descriptive language that evokes sensory experience.

Forms of imagery (with examples)

Visual imagery is perhaps the most frequently used form.

• The crimson liquid spilled from the neck of the white dove, staining and matting its pure, white feathers.

Auditory imagery represents a sound.

• The bells chimed 2 o'clock.
• Onomatopoeia: a word that makes a sound.

Kinetic imagery represents movement

• as in Wordsworth's poem Daffodils: "tossing their heads in sprightly dance"

Olfactory imagery represents a smell.

• His socks, still soaked with sweat from Tuesday's P.E. class, filled the classroom with an aroma akin to that of salty, week-old, rotting fish.

Gustatory imagery represents a taste.

• The sweet marinara sauce makes up for the bland sea-shell pasta beneath.
• Tumbling through the ocean water after being overtaken by the monstrous wave, I unintentionally took a gulp of the briny, bitter liquid, causing me to cough and gag.

Tactile imagery represents touch.

• The spongy soufflé was a pleasure to squeeze.
• The clay oozed between Jeremy's fingers as he let out a squeal of pure glee.

Imagery can be showcased in many forms, such as metaphors and similes.

A simile is a literary device where the writer employs the words "like" or "as" to compare two different ideas. It can be a strong word to use as a describing word in a simile or metaphor.

• He flew like a dove
• I am as bold as a lion.
• He has a heart as big as the outdoors.
• Her eyes sparkle like a crystal.
• Her hair is like a sea.
• He is acting like a clown.
• I am as red as a tomato.

A metaphor is similar to a simile, however this literary device makes a comparison without the use of "like" or "as".

• He has a hyena's laugh.
• Her face is a garden.
• Her eyes were endless pools of beauty.
• His voice was an explosion of sound.