{"id":5814,"date":"2018-01-03T17:00:57","date_gmt":"2018-01-04T01:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?post_type=essay-writing-blog&p=5814"},"modified":"2019-02-17T08:48:25","modified_gmt":"2019-02-17T16:48:25","slug":"analyze-imagery-literature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/analyze-imagery-literature\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Analyze Imagery in Literature the Smart Way"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard the saying \u201ca picture is worth a thousand words,\u201d right? But does it really take 1,000 words to create a vivid picture?<\/p>\n

Check out this short paragraph from Charlotte’s Web<\/i>:<\/p>\n

Fern came slowly down the stairs. Her eyes were red from crying. As she approached her chair, the carton wobbled, and there was a scratching noise. Fern looked at her father. Then she lifted the lid of the carton. There, inside, looking up at her, was the newborn pig. It was a white one. The morning light shone through its ears, turning them pink.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s only 61 words, but it creates a vivid picture, doesn\u2019t it? You can easily imagine what Fern looks like as she comes down the stairs. You also get a clear image of the carton and baby pig inside.<\/p>\n

This is a prime example of imagery. It creates a mental image that allows the reader to visualize the scene.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s all well and good, but other than saying that imagery creates a visual image, what else is there to say about it?<\/p>\n

Here are a few tips to help you analyze imagery in literature the smart way.<\/p>\n

How to Analyze Imagery in Literature the Smart Way<\/h2>\n

When you think of imagery, you usually think of visual <\/i>imagery. But a mental image is much more than what you see.<\/p>\n

Think about standing in a crowded elevator with a group of people who just got out of spin class. What you see might not be the most memorable part of this scene. The smell of a bunch of sweaty people in a tiny elevator will likely be the most vivid part of this image.<\/p>\n

Thus, keep in mind that imagery in literature can involve all of your senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at imagery in both poetry and prose, and analyze imagery the smart way.<\/p>\n

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Imagery in literature can involve all of your senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.<\/a><\/div>\n

Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n

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How to analyze imagery in poetry<\/h3>\n

As you already know, poets are known for using all sorts of literary devices<\/a>, including symbolism, rhyme, meter, and metaphors. They also use plenty of imagery.<\/p>\n

Poets often use imagery to set the entire mood of the poem<\/a>. They create a feeling they wish to express and hope the reader feels it as well.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at \u201cRoot Cellar\u201d by Theodore Roethke and examine how the poet uses imagery:<\/p>\n

Nothing would sleep in that cellar, dank as a ditch,<\/p>\n

Bulbs broke out of boxes hunting for chinks in the dark,<\/p>\n

Shoots dangled and drooped,<\/p>\n

Lolling obscenely from mildewed crates,<\/p>\n

Hung down long yellow evil necks, like tropical snakes.<\/p>\n

And what a congress of stinks!\u2014<\/p>\n

Roots ripe as old bait,<\/p>\n

Pulpy stems, rank, silo-rich,<\/p>\n

Leaf-mold, manure, lime, piled against slippery planks.<\/p>\n

Nothing would give up life:<\/p>\n

Even the dirt kept breathing a small breath<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s pretty easy to see the imagery in this poem, but what is there to say other than Roethke paints a picture of a root cellar?<\/p>\n

Start with the obvious: what you see when you read the poem. Roethke creates a scene of a dark, dank, musty old root cellar. It smells bad and is full of weeds.<\/p>\n

Most of the poem is dark, maybe even a bit depressing. But the final lines offer a sense of hope as the speaker states that, even in this environment, \u201cNothing would give up life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even dirt is alive and breathing. (This, of course, might be compared to the human condition. People often struggle in deep, dark spaces, but they continue on, fighting for life and happiness.)<\/p>\n\t

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Stuck on Your Analytical Essay?<\/div>\n\t\t\t
Check Out These Example Analytical Essays<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tYes! Show me examples.<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

Next, let’s move on to literary terms<\/a> that poems often use to help exemplify imagery.<\/p>\n

In addition to imagery, \u201cRoot Cellar\u201d contains:<\/p>\n