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II. Language Use in Creative Writing

A. What is Imagery?
 Imagery is language used by poets, novelists and other writers to create images in
the mind of the reader.
 Imagery includes figurative and metaphorical language to improve the reader’s
experience through their senses.
 Imagery is a literary device that uses figurative language to describe objects, actions,
and ideas in a way that appeals to the physical senses and helps readers to picture
the scene as if it were real.
 The term imagery can be a bit misleading. Though figurative language can be used
to describe the visual appearance of something, imagery also refers to vivid
descriptions of sounds, tastes, physical sensations, and smells.

Example 1: Imagery Using Visuals:

The night was black as ever, but bright stars lit up the sky in beautiful and varied
constellations which were sprinkled across the astronomical landscape.
In this example, the experience of the night sky is described in depth with color (black as ever,
bright), shape (varied constellations), and pattern (sprinkled).

Example 2: Using Sounds:

Silence was broken by the peal of piano keys as Shannon began practicing her concerto.
Here, auditory imagery breaks silence with the beautiful sound of piano keys.

Example 3: Using Scent:

She smelled the scent of sweet hibiscus wafting through the air, its tropical smell a reminder
that she was on vacation in a beautiful place.
The scent of hibiscus helps describe a scene which is relaxing, warm, and welcoming.

Example 4: Imagery using taste:

The candy melted in her mouth and swirls of bittersweet chocolate and slightly sweet but
salty caramel blended together on her tongue.
An in-depth description of the candy’s various flavors, the reader can almost experience the
deliciousness directly.

Example 5: Imagery using touch:

After the long run, he collapsed in the grass with tired and burning muscles. The grass tickled
his skin and sweat cooled on his brow.
In this example, imagery is used to describe the feeling of strained muscles, grass’s tickle, and
sweat cooling on skin.
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1. Visual Imagery
Visual imagery describes what we see: comic book images, paintings, or images directly
experienced through the narrator’s eyes. Visual imagery may include:

 Color, such as: burnt red, bright orange, dull yellow, verdant green and Robin’s egg blue.
 Shapes, such as: square, circular, tubular, rectangular, and conical.
 Size, such as: miniscule, tiny, small, medium-sized, large, and gigantic.
 Pattern, such as: polka-dotted, striped, zigzagged, jagged, and straight.

2. Auditory Imagery
Auditory imagery describes what we hear, from music to noise to pure silence. Auditory
imagery may include:

 Enjoyable sounds, such as: beautiful music, birdsong, and the voices of a chorus.
 Noises, such as: the bang of a gun, the sound of a broom moving across the floor, and the
sound of broken glass shattering on the hard floor.
 The lack of noise, describing a peaceful calm or eerie silence.

3. Olfactory Imagery
Olfactory imagery describes what we smell. Olfactory imagery may include:
 Fragrances, such as perfumes, enticing food and drink, and blooming flowers.
 Odors, such as rotting trash, body odors, or a stinky wet dog.

4. Gustatory Imagery
Gustatory imagery describes what we taste. Gustatory imagery can include:

 Sweetness, such as candies, cookies, and desserts.

 Sourness, bitterness, and tartness, such as lemons and limes.
 Saltiness, such as pretzels, French fries, and pepperonis.
 Spiciness, such as salsas and curries.
 Savoriness, such as a steak dinner or thick soup.

5. Tactile Imagery
Lastly, tactile imagery describes what we feel or touch. Tactile imagery includes:

 Temperature, such as bitter cold, humidity, mildness, and stifling heat.

 Texture, such as rough, ragged, seamless, and smooth.
 Touch, such as hand-holding, ones in the grass, or the feeling of starched fabric on one’s
skin.
 Movement, such as burning muscle

The Importance of Using Imagery

 Because we experience life through our senses, a strong composition should appeal to them
through the use of imagery.
 Descriptive imagery launches the reader into the experience of a warm spring day, scorching
hot summer, crisp fall, or harsh winter.
 It allows readers to directly sympathize with characters and narrators as they imagine having
the same sense experiences.
 Imagery commonly helps build compelling poetry, convincing narratives, vivid plays, well-
designed film sets, and descriptive songs.
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Imagery in Literature
Imagery is found throughout literature in poems, plays, stories, novels, and other creative
compositions.

Example 1 Excerpt describing a fish:

his brown skin hung in strips
like ancient wallpaper,
and its pattern of darker brown
was like wallpaper:
shapes like full-blown roses
stained and lost through age.

 This excerpt from Elizabeth Bishop’s poem “The Fish” is brimming with visual imagery.
 It beautifies and complicates the image of a fish that has just been caught.
 You can imagine the fish with tattered, dark brown skin “like ancient wallpaper” covered in
barnacles, lime deposits, and sea lice.
 In just a few lines, Bishop mentions many colors including brown, rose, white, and green.

Example 2
A taste for the miniature was one aspect of an orderly spirit. Another was a passion for secrets: in a
prized varnished cabinet, a secret drawer was opened by pushing against the grain of a cleverly
turned dovetail joint, and here she kept a diary locked by a clasp, and a notebook written in a code of
her own invention. … An old tin petty cash box was hidden under a removable floorboard beneath her
bed.

 In this excerpt from Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement, we can almost feel the cabinet and its
varnished texture or the joint that is specifically in a dovetail shape.
 We can also imagine the clasp detailing on the diary and the tin cash box that’s hidden under
a floorboard.
 Various items are described in-depth, so much so that the reader can easily visualize them.

Imagery in Pop Culture

Imagery can be found throughout pop culture in descriptive songs, colorful plays, and in
exciting movie and television scenes.

Example 1: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

In the hard-packed dirt of the midway, after the glaring lights are out and the people have gone to
bed, you will find a veritable treasure of popcorn fragments, frozen custard dribblings, candied
apples abandoned by tired children, sugar fluff crystals, salted almonds, popsicles, partially gnawed
ice cream cones and wooden sticks of lollipops.

In this excerpt from Charlotte’s Web, the narrator paints a vivid picture of the setting, appealing to a
number of the senses, from “salted almonds” to the “glaring lights.”

Example 2: What a Wonderful World by Armstrong

Armstrong’s classic song is an example of simple yet beautiful imagery in song. For instance, the
colors are emphasized in the green trees, red blooming roses, blue skies, and white clouds from the
bright day to the dark night.
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B. WHAT ARE THE FIGURES OF SPEECH?

A figure of speech is a deviation from the ordinary use of words in order to increase their
effectiveness. Basically, it is a figurative language that may consist of a single word or phrase. It may
be a simile, a metaphor or personification to convey the meaning other than the literal meaning.

TYPES OF FIGURES OF SPEECH

The figures of speech list is over a hundred but some commonly used types are given along with
examples.
1. SIMILE
In simile two unlike things is explicitly compared. For example, “She is like a fairy”. A simile is
introduced by words such as like, so, as etc.

2. METAPHOR
It is an informal or implied simile in which words like, as, so are omitted. For example, “He is
like a lion (Simile) “and “He is a lion (metaphor)”. In the following examples, metaphors are
underlined.
• She is a star of our family.
• The childhood of the world; the anger of the tempest; the deceitfulness of the riches: wine is a
mocker.
• She is now in the sunset of her days.

3. PERSONIFICATION
It is an attribution of personal nature, intelligence or character to inanimate objects or
abstract notions.

For example, in some phrases we use the furious storm, the thirsty ground, and the pitiless cold.
Some other examples are:
• Little sorrows sit and weep. (Boccaccio)
The dish ran away with the spoon. (Blake)

4. METONYMY
Metonymy is meant for a change of name. It is a substitute of the thing names for the thing
meant. Following examples will clarify the concept.
• The pen is mightier than the sword.
• From the cradle to the grave. = from childhood to death.
• I have never read Milton. = the works of Milton.

5. APOSTROPHE
It is a direct address to some inanimate thing or some abstract idea as if it were living person
or some absent person as if it were present.
Example, "Boy's mother loved him very much."
“Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean – roll!” (The Ocean by Lord Byron)
“O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth. “ (Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene I)

6. HYPERBOLE
Hyperbole is a statement made emphatic by overstatement.
For example, “Virtues as the sands of the shore.”

7. SYNECDOCHE
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Synecdoche is the understanding of one thing by means of another. Here, a part is used to
designate the whole or the whole to designate a part.
For example, “I have the Viceroy, love the man.”, and
“All hands (crew) at work.”

8. TRANSFERRED EPITHETS
In transferred epithets, the qualifying objective is transferred from a person to a thing as in
phrases. For example, “sleepless night”, “sunburn mirth”, and “melodious plain”.

9. EUPHEMISM
By using the euphemism, we speak in agreeable and favorable terms of some person, object
or event which is ordinarily considered unpleasant and disagreeable. For example,
• He is telling us a fairy tale. (a lie)
• He has fallen asleep. (he is dead)

10. IRONY OR SARCASM

In this mode of speech, the real meanings of the words used are different from the intended
meanings. For example, the child of cobbler has no shoe.

11. PUN
This consists of a play on the various meanings of a word. Its effect is often ludicrous. For
example,
• Is life worth living? It depends upon the liver.
• Obviously, the constitution is against prostitution and congress is against progress. (con
means against and pro means for)

12. EPIGRAM
It is a brief pointed saying. It couples words which apparently contradict each other. The
language of the epigram is remarkable for its brevity. Examples are as under:
• The child is the father of the man. (Wordsworth)
• Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
• The art lies in concealing art.
• Silence is sometimes more eloquent than words.
• Conspicuous by its absence.

13. ANTITHESIS
In antithesis, a striking opposition or contrast of words is made in the same sentence in
order to secure emphasis. For example,
• To err is human, to forgive divine.
• Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.

14. OXYMORON
It is a figure of speech which combines two seemingly contradictory or incongruous words
for sharp emphasis or effect. For example,
• “darkness visible” (Milton);
• “make haste slowly” (Suetonius)
• “loving hate” (Romeo and Juliet)

15. LITOTES
It is the opposite of hyperbole. Here an affirmative is conveyed by negation of the opposite. For
example,
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• He is no dullard.
• I am not a little
• He is not a bad sort.

16. INTERROGATION
This is a rhetorical mode of affirming or denying something more strongly than could be
done in ordinary language. Examples,
• Who is here so base that would be a bondman?
• Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman?
• Who is here so vile that will not love his country? (Shakespeare)

17. EXCLAMATION
It is used for strong expression of feelings. For examples, O lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud I
fall upon the thorns of life; I bleed!

18. CLIMAX
It is an arrangement of a series of ideas in the order of increasing importance.
For example, “What a piece of work man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties! In action,
how like an angel!”

19. ALLITERATION
The repetition of the same letter or syllable at the beginning of two or more words is called
alliteration. For example,
• By apt Alliteration’s artful a
• Glittering through the gloomy g
• The furrow follows f

20. ONOMATOPOEIA
The formation of a word whose sound is made to suggest or echo the sense as in cuckoo,
bang, growl, hiss.
• The moan of doves in immemorial elms and murmur of innumerable bees.
• Rend with the tremendous sound your ears asunder with guns, drum, trumpet,
blunderbuss, and thunder.

21. CIRCUMLOCUTION
This consists of expressing some fact or idea in a roundabout way, instead of stating it at
once. For example,
• The viewless couriers of the air. =(the wind)
• That statement of his was purely an effort of imagination. = (a fiction)

22. TAUTOLOGY OR PLEONASM

Tautology is meant for repeating the same fact or idea in different words. For example, “It is
the privilege and birthright of every man to express his ideas without any fear.”

(Exam Planning.Com)
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C. DICTION

As a literary device, diction refers to the linguistic choices made by a writer to convey an
idea or point of view, or tell a story, in an effective way. The author’s selection of words or
vocabulary and the artistic arrangements of these words is what constitutes the style and establishes
the voice of a literary work. Therefore, analyzing the style of a work of literature is an attempt to
identify and understand diction–the type and quality of individual words that comprise the
vocabulary of the work. Diction is closely connected to characterization. The words associated with a
literary character represent their ideals, values, and attitudes. Diction can create a representation of
a character’s outer appearance and/or inner state of mind for the reader.

Common Types of Diction

 Formal: use of elevated, sophisticated, professional language. Formal diction does not
feature slang or colloquialisms, but instead adheres to proper grammar and
complex sentence structure.
 Informal: conversational, casual, realistic language. Informal diction is often used by writers
to portray real-life communication or dialogue between realistic characters, and it is often
utilized in narrative literary forms such as short fiction and novels.
 Colloquial: informal words or expressions that are typically associated with a specific region
or time period. Colloquialisms are useful in portraying realistic and colorful characters.
 Slang: words or phrases originated within a particular culture or subgroup that become
widespread in use.
 Pedantic: detailed, academic writing. Pedantic diction generally reflects deliberate, educated
word choices with denotative intention.
 Abstract: expression of the intangible such as ideas or emotions.
 Concrete: use of words for denotative meanings. Concrete diction is specific, literal, and
detailed so that it’s not open to interpretation.
 Poetic: lyrical wording related to and reflective of a poem’s theme. Poetic diction typically
includes descriptive language that is potentially set to rhythm and meter.

Examples of Common Types of Diction

Different styles of diction impact how a writer expresses an idea or message. In turn, writers
utilize diction as a literary device to influence the way a reader understands or interprets the idea or
message that is being expressed in a particular style. Diction is often used in a way that meet’s the
reader’s expectations, such as formal diction for business writing and informal diction for casual
dialogue. If the type of diction presented is not aligned with a reader’s expectations, this can be an
incongruent result that may lead to misunderstanding or misinterpretation of what is being
expressed.

Here are some examples of statements and phrases that represent common types of diction:

 Formal: As heretofore stated by the representative of the firm, any indication of

microaggression among colleagues will not be tolerated.
 Informal: Text me when you’re ready to head home so I can pick you up.
 Colloquial: Have y’all heard that new Country Music song?
 Slang: I look tired because I was binge-watching a show on Netflix last night.
 Pedantic: It’s beneficial in an academic milieu to understand the etymology of literary terms.
 Abstract: My head was swirling as I tried to recall my husband’s words of love.
 Concrete: That book belongs in the empty space on the second shelf.
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 Poetic: Let us go then, you and I, / When the evening is spread out against the sky (from
“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot)

Difference between Diction and Dialect

Some people can find the difference between the terms diction and dialect confusing.
Diction refers to the choice of words and linguistics as well as the levels of effectiveness and clarity
of those choices. In addition, diction refers to how such words are presented to readers or
an audience. Dialect, as a matter of linguistics, refers to a variety of spoken language that
characterizes a certain region, community, or group of people. Dialect often reflects minor
differences in terms of vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, and style of speech.

Examples of Diction in Literature

In literature, writers carefully choose specific words and phrases depending on the outcome
they wish to achieve for the reader. Diction is the literary device that refers to these linguistic word
choices and their artistic arrangement by a writer.
Here are some examples of diction in literature:

Example 1: The School (Donald Barthelme)

One day, we had a discussion in class. They asked me, where did they go? The trees, the salamander,
the tropical fish, Edgar, the poppas and mommas, Matthew and Tony, where did they go? And I said,
I don’t know, I don’t know. And they said, who knows? and I said, nobody knows. And they said, is
death that which gives meaning to life? And I said no, life is that which gives meaning to life. Then
they said, but isn’t death, considered as a fundamental datum, the means by which the taken-for-
granted mundanity of the everyday may be transcended in the direction of –
I said, yes, maybe.
They said, we don’t like it.
I said, that’s sound.
They said, it’s a bloody shame!
I said, it is.

In Barthelme’s short story, he utilizes a combination of formal and informal diction to convey
the literary theme of the randomness and universality of death. However, in this passage, the author
cleverly reverses the diction expected by the reader by assigning formal diction to the elementary
students and informal diction to their teacher, Edgar. This reversal of diction and reader expectation
underscores the literary theme as well that death is both ever-present yet inexplicable in its pattern
of occurrence. The children’s formal wording in their assessment of death as a “fundamental datum”
reinforces the absurdity of anyone attempting to explain its meaning–even a figure of authority such
as an elementary school teacher. In addition, the limited and informal diction used in response by
the student’s teacher reinforces the absurdity that human beings can provide “answers” when it
comes to such abstractions as death and life.

The word and vocabulary choices made by Barthelme in his literary short fiction establish
the story’s narrative voice and tone in an effective way. The children/students in the story are
genuinely interested in learning about death and “where” the dead go. However, their teacher is
incapable of providing the answers to their questions because he doesn’t have the knowledge, nor
the vocabulary, to express any proper responses. This results in an emotional response on the part
of the reader of frustration and helplessness in understanding the full concept of death, and
therefore life as well.
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Example 2: This Is Just to Say (William Carlos Williams)

I have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox

and which

you were probably

saving

for breakfast

Forgive me

they were delicious

so sweet

and so cold

Though Williams’s poem is composed in free verse, without formal rhyme or meter, the
diction is poetic in that the poet’s choice of words is descriptive and lyrical. This careful and
deliberate use of vocabulary allows the poet to emphasize the denotative and connotative meaning
of each word in each line. For the reader, the diction used by Williams in the poem reinforces the
theme of temptation and desire intertwined with feelings of resentment and coldness.

(https://literarydevices.net/diction/)
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