Creatives' use of symbolism or figurative language to add depth to their work
Imagery is theliterary device of using vividsensory language. Less commonly known asenargia, it isfigurative language that evokes amental image or other kinds ofsense impressions in the reader or listener. Imagery innarrative literature can also be instrumental in conveyingtone,mood, and other literary elements.[1]
There are five major types of sensory imagery, each corresponding to a sense, feeling, action, or reaction:
Visual imagery pertains to graphics, visual scenes, pictures, or the sense of sight.
Auditory imagery pertains to sounds, noises, music, or the sense of hearing. (This kind of imagery may come in the form ofonomatopoeia).
Olfactory imagery pertains to odors, aromas, scents, or the sense of smell.
Gustatory imagery pertains to flavors or the sense of taste.
Tactile imagery pertains to physical textures or the sense of touch.
Other types of imagery include:
Kinesthetic imagery pertains to movements.
Organic imagery / subjective imagery, pertains to personal experiences of a character's body, including emotion and the senses of hunger, thirst, fatigue, and pain.[2]
Phenomenological, pertains to the mental conception of an item as opposed to the physical version.
Color imagery is the ability to visualize a color in its absence.
^Malewitz, Raymond (8 November 2019)."What is Imagery?". Definitions and Examples.Oregon State Guide to English Literary Terms. Oregon State School of Writing, Literature and Film. Retrieved28 April 2023.
