Question

literary / text elements imagery and thematic development
imagery is language that appeals to one or more of the five senses—sight, hearing, touch, taste, or smell. effective imagery recreates sensory experiences in words, informing and shaping readers’ perceptions of characters, events, and ideas.
images often strengthen and support a literary work’s themes—insights about life. groups of related images are sometimes linked to important themes. for example, repeated images of darkness might support a theme about the risks involved in exploring the unknown. one way to critique and evaluate a text is to analyze the images and determine the themes they may suggest. to do so, ask yourself the following questions:

• critique: is each image well - developed and memorable? do the images work together to convey a unified idea or general mood?
• evaluate: does the imagery effectively develop a theme? if so, what theme is suggested through imagery?

a. directions: for each image, name the sense (sight, hearing, touch, taste, or smell) to which it is most likely meant to appeal.

1. the deep blare of a boat’s foghorn:
2. a mouthwatering chocolate layer cake:
3. a thick, fuzzy sweater knit from super - soft yarn:
4. a field of yellow sunflowers shimmering in the sun:
5. the smoke rising from a backyard barbeque:

b. directions: write the letter of the image that best fits each theme.

1. theme: life is a series of confusing choices.

a. a flower bed c. an intricate maze
b. a crumbling stone wall d. a factory assembly line

1. theme: in order to survive, you may need to draw attention to yourself.

a. the rustle of falling leaves c. a soft, gentle whisper
b. an icy mountain path d. the blare of a siren

1. theme: success requires hard work.

a. a climber reaching a peak c. a soft, silky pair of gloves
b. a fragrant bouquet of roses d. a growling bear

Explanation:

For part A, we analyze each image based on the five senses. "Blare" relates to hearing. "Mouthwatering" connects to taste. "Thick, fuzzy, soft" are touch - related. "Yellow, shimmering" are visual. "Smoke" (in the context of smell from a barbeque) is for smell.

For part B:

• A maze (c) has many paths, which can represent confusing choices.
• A siren's blare (d) is a loud noise that draws attention.
• A climber reaching a peak (a) implies effort (hard work) to achieve success.

Answer:

Part A

1. hearing
2. taste
3. touch
4. sight
5. smell

Part B

1. c. an intricate maze
2. d. the blare of a siren
3. a. a climber reaching a peak