Sensational

Imagery in Action Activity

Name _______________________

I am Imagery Investigator A or B

Imagery is the verbal representation of sensory experience (sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell). Visual imagery is most common, but good writers experiment with a variety of images and even purposefully intermingle the senses (giving smells a color, for example). Imagery depends on both diction and detail: an image's success in producing a sensory experience results from the specificity of the author's diction and choice of detail. Imagery contributes to voice by evoking vivid experience, conveying specific emotion, and suggesting a particular idea.

Imagery itself is not figurative, but may be used to impart figurative or symbolic meaning. For example, the parched earth can be a metaphor for a character's despair, or a bird's flight a metaphor for hope. Traditional imagery typically has a history. A river, for example, is usually associated with life's journey. You should learn to study imagery and analyze nontraditional imagery for meaning.

From Nancy Dean's Voice Lessons

To interpret an author's use of imagery, you must first understand imagery and diction in your own writing. For this activity, you will be given multiple unfamiliar items that you must describe in a new and fresh way. Be purposeful and creative in your diction and use of literary devices!

Sounds:

After listening to the clip, write down what you think the sound was. Write a sentence that vividly describes what you heard. Be as descriptive as possible. Example: The squeaky pipes sounded like a dying cat trapped between the concrete walls.

1. The sound is a ______________

a. Descriptive Phrase: ______________________________________________________________

2. The sound is a ______________

a. Descriptive Phrase: ______________________________________________________________

3. The sound is a _______________

a. Descriptive Phrase: ______________________________________________________________

4. The sound is a _______________

a. Descriptive Phrase: ______________________________________________________________

Sights:

After viewing the clip, guess what the image is. Write a sentence that vividly describes what you saw.

1. The image is a _______________

a. Descriptive Phrase: _____________________________________________________________

2. The image is a _______________

a. Descriptive Phrase: __________________________________________________________________

3. The image is _________________

a. Descriptive Phrase: __________________________________________________________________

4. The image is a ________________

a. Descriptive Phrase: __________________________________________________________________

Touch

After touching the object, guess what the object