LiteratureLesson 2 of 2 in the course Poetry

Literary Imagery: Sensory Types and Imagination

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Imagery is a literary device that uses sensory language to create vivid impressions in a reader’s or listener’s imagination. It can help readers picture a scene, hear a sound, feel a texture, or connect with a character’s sensations and emotions. This lesson explains the purpose and types of imagery, how imagery works with other figurative language, and three necessities involved in imagination.

All flashcards

What is imagery?
Imagery is sensory language that evokes a mental image or another vivid sense impression in a reader’s or listener’s imagination.
What can imagery contribute to a story besides sensory impressions?
It can help convey tone, mood, symbolism, setting, and other narrative elements.
What are the five major sensory types of imagery?
Visual (sight), auditory (hearing), olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), and tactile (touch) imagery.
What is kinesthetic imagery, and what can it do?
Kinesthetic imagery concerns movement. It can give life to scenery and influence the pacing of a text.
What are the three necessities for imagination?
Directedness is focusing on a specific subject; activity is the mind’s active engagement in imagining; and phenomenology is relating the imagined subject to something relatively similar.

Quiz questions

  1. What is imagery in literature?Answer: Sensory language that evokes vivid mental impressions.
  2. Which type of imagery primarily concerns odors, aromas, and scents?Answer: Olfactory imagery
  3. How can rhythm work with imagery in a text?Answer: It can help create atmosphere and shape the text’s pace and flow.
  4. A description emphasizes the bitter flavor of a drink. What type of imagery is being used?Answer: Gustatory imagery
  5. A reader imagines a specific place, actively engages with its description, and relates it to a familiar place. Which set of necessities does this illustrate?Answer: Directedness, activity, and phenomenology

Based on the Wikipedia article Imagery, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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