Imagery, Symbolism, &
Atmosphere
By: Andrew, Wally, Bipin
Imagery
● Anything that refers to a sense in a literary work
● Includes allusions and vehicles of metaphor and simile
● Classification: Rhetorical
Imagery Example
“Is my team ploughing,
That I was used to drive
And hear the harness jingle
When I was man alive?”
Ay, the horses trample,
The harness jingles now;
No change though you lie
under
The land you used to plough.
A.E. Housman, “Is My Team Ploughing”
Not only images of horses and sound of
jingling harness, but allusion to images of
burial.
Symbolism
● An object, action, or event that represents something, creating
associations beyond itself.
● Includes metaphors, simile, imagery, and etc.
Symbolism Examples
“My heart leaps up when i behold
hope
A rainbow in the sky.”
-W. Wordsworth
Wizard of oz “Characters”
farmer
Rainbow is symbol of
Scarecrow- Agricultural worker/
Tin
Man- Industrial worker/ Machinery
Atmosphere
● Meaning, mood or tone which is influenced by the setting, dialogue,
diction, and selection of details.
● Classification: Narrative
Atmosphere Example
“Thunder and lightning. Enter three
witches.”
-Macbeth
The opening of the play Macbeth is
simple and starts by creating a very
ominous atmosphere. Every word
suggests that something bad will
happen. It pictures a big storm
where three witches emerge and
makes you feel scared or excited
about what's going to happen.