Oral presentation: Imagery - IIB1

2.  Imagery is the use of vivid description, usually rich in sensory words, to create
pictures, or images, in the reader’s mind.
 Imagery, in a literary text occurs when an author uses an object that is not really
there, in order to create a comparison between one that is, usually evoking a more
meaningful visual experience for the reader.
 Imagery may also be defined as the representation through language of sense
experience.

3. 1. To identify imagery in poetry
2. To write poetry using quality imagery
3. To provide an opportunity for students to
write creatively
4. To work on prediction and guessing skills

4.  Poetry indirectly appeals to our senses through imagery. Creating poetry requires
the use of imagery, think of some imagery words to describe some part of nature: a
sea, a brook, clouds, a tree, a river, an animal, a mountain, etc.
 We speak of the pictures evoked in a poem as “imagery”. Imagery refers to the
“pictures” which we perceive with our mind’s eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin, and
through which we experience the “duplicate world” created by poetic language.
Although most of the image-making words in any language appeal to sight (visual
images), there are also images of touch (tactile), sound (auditory), taste
(gustatory), and smell (olfactory).
A good poet does not use imagery merely to decorate a poem. He asks
himself, “How can I make my subject appear to the reader exactly as it appears to
me?”. Imagery helps him solve this problem, for it enables him to present his subject
as it is: as it looks, smells, tastes, feels and sounds. To the reader, imagery is equally
important: it provides his imagination with something palpable to seize upon.

5. Different types of imagery correspond to different senses. Essentially,
there are five types of imagery, each corresponding to one of our
senses: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory and gustatory.
These are the main five types of imagery. Engage as many senses as
you can when you are doing visualization or guided imagery.
 Olfactory imagery stimulates the sense of smell.
 Tactile imagery stimulates the sense of touch.
 Visual imagery stimulates the sense of sight.
 Auditory imagery stimulates the sense of hearing.
 Gustatory imagery stimulates the sense of taste.
 Kinesthetic is imagery that recreates a feeling of physical action or
natural bodily function (like a pulse, a heartbeat, or breathing).
 Organic imagery – internal sensation: hunger, thirst, fatigue, fear.

6. Visual Auditory Kinesthetic Olfactory Gustatory
picture scream feel pungent sweet
flash shout warm fragrant sour
bright listen grasp sweet salty
sharp tone sharp dank bitter
clear whisper peaceful rich aroma fresh
see ring cold stinky juicy
light utter rugged musty bland
dark nasal joyful rotten burnt
large squeal fuzzy odor zesty
blue quiet hard essence tangy

7.  Imagery allows the writer to show what he means instead of just telling someone.
When you write a poem or text, remember: Show! Don’t tell!
I took a walk around the world to
Ease my troubled mind
I left my body laying somewhere
In the sands of time
I watched the world float to the dark
Side of the moon
I feel there is nothing I can do
--"Kryptonite" by Three Doors Down
From the family tree of old school hip hop
Kick off your shoes and relax your socks
The rhymes will spread just like a pox
Cause the music is live like an electric shock
--Beastie Boys "Intergalactic" From Hello
Nasty