Imagery

In a previous article, I discussed word choice. This is an important element in literature, particularly when using imagery. Imagery is a type of figurative language that creates a picture for your readers through sensory experiences. Appealing to the senses of your reader allows them to see, smell, hear, feel, and taste what is happening in your story. Additionally, it can give the reader an emotional connection to the story and characters.

Types of Imagery

• Visual

This type of imagery is probably the easiest for a writer. When describing a scene, you might talk about the size, shape, and texture or pattern of the surface of an item. It is fairly simple to describe the way an object looks, but there is more to it than that. Illustrating even the lighting and shadows helps transport the reader to the scene and allows them to be enveloped in the story.

Example: Golden sunlight cascaded through the towering trees, dappling the forest floor with patches of warmth.

• Olfactory

Smells are closely connected to emotions and feelings. Certain smells also trigger emotional memories, so this can aid in keeping the reader engaged and wanting to read more. Smells can be pungent, fragrant, sweet, or woody, for example. If you want your reader to feel calm and happy, you would want to add pleasant scents into your scene. In contrast, if you are trying to cause some nervousness, your depiction would include more unpleasant scents. You can even be more creative and use complex scents to convey the exact smell you want the reader to envision.

Example: It was the scent of old people. The pungent aroma of moth balls enveloped me as I entered the mansion.

• Auditory

Appealing to the sense of hearing can be very important to a story, especially when you are trying to bring on a certain type of emotion. Think about it. The sound of rain can be relaxing, while the harsher sound of a thunderstorm might evoke more of a feeling of anxiety. Even silence being used as auditory imagery can make the reader feel one way or another. Carefully chosen descriptors, such as adjectives or adverbs can assist in creating the aural experience you are attempting to convey to the reader.

Example: The soft whisper of the wind carried through the towering pine trees while the rhythmic crash of waves against the rocky shore played a soothing melody in the quiet morning air.

• Tactile

Do you want the reader to imagine how something feels to the touch? You might describe the texture, but you may also want to talk about the weight or the temperature, as well. Use imagery to stimulate the reader’s touch sensations such as warmth, scratchiness, heaviness, sharpness, stickiness, or dryness. In addition to factual descriptions, there is also the emotional element of touch. Think about how various types of touch make you feel, and use those when you feel they are advantageous to your story.

Example: The velvety petals of the rose brushed against my fingertips just before the jagged point of the thorn snatched my clothing.

• Gustatory

Appeal to the reader’s sense of taste by describing how a particular item is salty, sweet, bitter, sour, or spicy. Gustatory imagery is not effective for uncommon tastes that a reader is not likely to have experienced before. The flavors and textures of foods should be explained such that the reader can relate to past experiences but also allow them to visualize what the character is experiencing.

Example: The velvety richness of the chocolate melted on my tongue, releasing waves of deep cocoa and hints of caramel.

As I stated in a previous article, you need to consider the context in which you are using descriptive words. Imagery will look differently for romance novels than it will for horror or historical fiction. For instance, silence should be described using different words, depending on whether you are trying to evoke feelings of uneasiness or feelings of calmness.

Show, don’t tell. Describe the action, as well as the character’s reaction to it. It is also important to note that imagery can be either literal or figurative. Combining several types of imagery together produces a well-rounded and immersive experience for the reader. You may also use other literary devices like similes, metaphors, personification, or hyperbole to achieve imagery.

Lastly, remember that specificity is crucial. A detailed sensory description creates a more vivid experience which adds to the realism of your piece. This makes it much more likely your reader will stay engaged. Literary devices help to set the atmosphere and immerse the reader in what the characters are experiencing. You want the tone and mood to be obvious to the reader, or there may be misunderstandings that lead the reader to give up on the book. No one wants that!

Heather Malone writes children’s books that focus mainly on Montessori education, special education, and nonfiction. She also dabbles in fiction. Her nonfiction book, Montessori from A to Z, was published in 2023, and her blog on homeschooling students with disabilities using the Montessori method can be viewed at spedmontessorisolutions.com. Her passion is education, which is evidenced by spending over twenty-five years in the field before leaving the classroom to now provide technical assistance to school districts. She lives with her husband and son in Ohio and enjoys traveling to new places in her free time.