Imagery in Literature
What is it?
How is it achieved?
What is imagery?
Imagery is when a writer uses vivid, figurative or
descriptive langauge to:
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appeal to the reader’s senses
help the reader create a picture in their mind
add depth to their work
help the reader feel present in the moment
communicate the world of the text to the reader
Types of imagery
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Visual
Auditory
Kinesthetic
Olfactory
Gustatory
Tactile
Organic
Visual Imagery
This appeals to our sense of sight.
“The crimson liquid spilled from the neck of the white
dove, staining and matting its pure, white feathers.”
Auditory Imagery
This describes sound.
"....Which has its sounds, familiar, like the roar
Of trees and crack of branches, common things,
But nothing so like beating on a box“
(From 'An Old Man’s Winter Night' by Robert Frost)
Kinesthetic Imagery
This describes a sense of movement or tension.
"Tossing their heads in sprightly dance"
(from 'Daffodils' by W. Wordsworth)
Olfactory Imagery
This helps to summon and deliver smells to readers.
"Gio's 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
This illustrates taste, of food or other things.
“Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold“
From the poem "This Is Just to Say" by William Carlos
Williams)
Tactile Imagery
This appeals to the reader’s sense of touch.
'The bed linens might just as well be ice and the clothes snow.'
From Robert Frost's "The Witch of Coos"
Organic Imagery
This concentrates on recreating internal sensations like
hunger, thirst, fear or fatigue.
“Weary and without hope of rest, I continued my tiring
journey.”
How do writers create imagery?
Writers use a variety of techniques including:
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Figurative language (metaphor, simile, personification, etc.)
Adjectives and descriptive language
Comparisons
Contrasts
Allusions
Onomatopoeia (auditory and kinesthetic)
Symbolism
Concrete details (e.g. the bag was made of leather)
Sensory details (e.g. the bag smelled of leather)
Tips for writing about imagery in
Of Mice and Men
 Be specific about the type of imagery being used, e.g.
natural, animal, rural, etc.
 Comment on the effect the imagery has on readers
 Where possible and appropriate, make connections to
Steinbeck’s use of symbolism, e.g. recurring images of
dogs with dogs symbolising friendship and loyalty.