Literary Devices

Imagery- Visual and Auditory

Imagery is a literary device that plays on our five senses [including other forms of imagery]
to form and fortify a mental image using descriptive language. This text will be explaining
two prominent forms of imagery that are Visual and Auditory imagery.

Visual Imagery
Visual imagery attempts to create a visual image in a person’s mind through the use of visual
descriptions and physical attributes, including, but not limited to; color, size, shape, and light and
dark. Visual imagery may be used if a character is in a unique or interesting environment or
atmosphere, but may also be used to describe mundane but import things such as a bedroom or school.
The reasons for the use of visual imagery can shift from being to generate a mental image or to
engage the reader or even to help with comprehension of the text.

E.g.
The book was larger than an A3 sheet and thicker than a door, the spine was plated in cold as well as
the sides of the pages, the cover was made of leather but almost looked like wood with streaks of
white at certain points, at the center of the front and back cover page, it was inscribed ‘the book of
Indus’.

Auditory Imagery
Auditory imagery, similarly to visual imagery, rather plays on the readers sense of hearing through
use of auditory descriptions such as describing the source of the sound like this. ‘The book landed on
the table with a thud’, as well as, sometimes using other literary devices such as onomatopoeia. This
literary device can be used in a scenario to alert the user to the presence of something or as a threat in
a scenario where a child might drop a bottle while trying to sneak out of the house. This form of
imagery helps the reader understand a sound better by perceiving it off text and helps the audience
immerse themselves.

E.g.
I sometimes like to silently doze off to the pitter patter of raindrops on my windowsill on a rainy-day.
 Bibliography

“Sensory Imagery in Creative Writing: Types, Examples, and Writing Tips - 2022.” MasterClass,
2021, https://www.masterclass.com/articles/sensory-imagery-in-creative-writing.
“Auditory Imagery - Examples and Definition of Auditory Imagery.” Literary Devices, 18 Mar. 2019,
https://literarydevices.net/auditory-imagery/#:~:text=Auditory%20imagery%20aids%20the
%20reader's,with%20their%20sense%20of%20hearing.
Submitted by Carol Bajor (not verified) on May 27. “Visual Imagery: Classroom Strategy.” Reading
Rockets, 2 Mar. 2022, https://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/visual_imagery#:~:text=Why
%20use%20visual%20imagery%3F,while%20reading%20can%20improve%20comprehension.