Imagery

• Imagery- It is a literary device used to appeal to readers’ senses- sight, smell, touch, sound and taste.                                 
• It often uses figurative language in stories, poems, narratives, plays, songs and other creative compositions.                                           

IMAGERY IN A STORY  

• Readers can easily imagine a story’s situations/events, characters, emotions and setting. 
• Allows writers to paint pictures in readers’ minds to make them impactful and to elicit the emotional feelings of readers. 

Example   

• Her words felt like a dagger in my heart. 
•  Sparkling white, the blanket of snow covered the mountains.     

• The banyan tree bark was rough on my back but the umbrella shade compensated.      

TYPES OF IMAGERY – FIVE TYPES 

Visual Imagery 

Visual imagery describes what we see. Visual imagery may include: 

• Color 
• Shape 
• Size 
• Pattern 

Example 

• David stepped out of his car and thought the bright orange, beaming sunlight will make him blind.  

• The night was black as ever, but bright stars lit up in varied constellations and painted the sky with a sprinkling touch.  

Auditory Imagery

Describes what we hear. It includes: 

• Music 
• Noise 
• Silence  

Example 

• Trees rustled in rhythm as the breeze whistled softly through the leaves.  
• Suddenly, silence was broken by piano keys. He played the chords and toned-down tension in the air.   
• Noise of broken glass created an eerie feeling inside me.  

Olfactory Imagery

Describes what we smell. It includes 

• Fragrances- Perfumes 
• Smell- Fruit, flowers etc. 
• Odor – (Bad) 

Example 

• The scent of roses wafted by a gentle breeze made her relax.  

• As soon as I entered home, it smelled like chocolate. The smell of fresh baked cookies was irresistible.  
• This stinky brown dog might attack us.  

Gustatory Imagery

Describes what we taste. It includes  

• Sweetness 
• Sourness 
• Saltiness 
• Spiciness 
• Savouriness 

Example 

• Sweet and slight salty caramel melted in my mouth 

• Ronnie took an orange slice, but to his surprise, it left a bitter lemon taste in his mouth   
• Spicy flavor of the meat reminded her of her mother culinary skills 
• The rich and creamy homemade sorbet is a treat during summer-time   

Tactile Imagery- Describes what we feel or touch. It includes 

• Temperature 
• Texture 
• Touch 
• Movement 

Example 

• He wiped the sweat from his forehead and realised, his skin was just as cold. 

• I tumbled down the slope, thorns pricked my hands and face like a thousand needles. 
• When she entered her room, she noticed a thick, slimy substance on the walls.