ST.

ANTHONY COLLEGE Creative Writing

CALAPANCITY INC.

INFORMATION SHEET 1.1-2

LANGUAGE USED IN CREATIVE WRITING (Imagery)

Learning Objectives
After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:
1. identify what type of imagery is used in sentences provided,
2. list down the importance of using imagery, and
3. write 5 short paragraphs for each type of imagery.

What is IMAGERY?

Imagery is language used by poets, novelists and other writers to create images in the mind of the
reader. It includes figurative and metaphorical language to improve the reader’s experience through
their senses.

Examples of Imagery

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).

2. Imagery 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.

3. Imagery using scent

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

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.
 Thanks to an in-depth description of the candy’s various flavors, the reader can
almost experience the deliciousness directly.

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 sweet cooling on skin.
 ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE Creative Writing
CALAPANCITY INC.

A. 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, zig-zagged, jagged and straight.

B. Auditory Imagery
Auditory imagery describes what we hear, from music to noise to pure silence. Auditory imagery
may includes:
 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 the broken glass shattering on the hard floor.
 The lack of noise, describing a peaceful calm or eerie silence.

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

D. Gustatory Imagery
Gustatory imagery describes what we taste, it may include:
 Sweetness, such as candies, cookies and desserts
 Sourness, bitterness, and tartness, such as lemons and limes
 Saltiness, such as pretzels, fries, and pepperonis
 Spiciness, such as salsas and curries
 Savoriness, such as steak dinner or thick soup
E. 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, one’s in the grass, or the feeling of starched fabric on
one’s skin
 ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE Creative Writing
CALAPANCITY INC.

 Movement, such as burning muscles from exertion, swimming in cold water, or kicking a
soccer ball.

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.

IMAGERY IN LITERATURE
Imagery is found throughout literature in poems, plays, stories, novels, and other creative
compositions.
Example 1 (Excerpt in 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 the 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 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 clash 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.
 ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE Creative Writing
CALAPANCITY INC.

SELF CHECK 1.1-2

I. IDENTIFICATION
Instructions: Identify what type of imagery is used in sentences provided below.
__________________ 1. The coolness of water as soon as she jumped in the pool that night went up
her spine and made her shiver.
__________________ 2. Her shining and shimmering silver necklace with a white round pearl
pendant was bought to her by her boyfriend.
__________________ 3. She can’t contain her drooling as she savored the juiciness of her chosen
entrée.
__________________ 4. Cardo was initially shocked by the loud bang of a gun pointed towards him.
__________________ 5. The bittersweet aroma of the coffee made by her mom made her come out
of bed immediately.
__________________ 6. Upon entering the seafood section in the market, the combined stink of fish
and rusty steels caused her to leave at once.
__________________ 7. She is mesmerized by the reddish and yellowish color of the sunset that late
afternoon.
__________________ 8. The scorching heat of sun brought him warmth and caused his sweats to fall
down his cheeks.
__________________ 9. Mars immediately looked for cold water to clench her thirst.
__________________ 10. That night, the deafening silence and loneliness caused her to shed tears.

II. ENUMERATION
Instructions: List down the importance of using imagery.
Task Sheet 1.1-2
Title: Journal Entry No. 2

Performance Objectives:
Given all the inputs about imagery, you should be able to write 5 short paragraphs for each type of
imagery. One type of imagery is to one bond paper.

Supplies: Bond paper, Pen

Equipment: Laptop/PC, printer with ink (optional)

Steps/Procedure:
1. Read and familiarize yourself more with imagery and its types online or in any reading book with creative
writings.
2. Think of a topic for each type of imagery, widen your imagination.
3. Start writing your paragraphs. Make it short but worthwhile to read.
4. Finalize your work.

Assessment Method:
Performance Criteria Checklist
 ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE Creative Writing
CALAPANCITY INC.

Performance Criteria 1.1-2

CRITERIA 5 4 3 2
Creativity The use of imagery The use of imagery The use of imagery The use of imagery
is highly creative for is highly creative is creative for some is less creative for all
all the types and for most of the of the types and with the types and some
with appropriate types with most less appropriate chosen words are
chosen words. The appropriate chosen chosen words. The not appropriate to
evaluator is very words. The evaluator is satisfied deliver the sense.
satisfied and is able evaluator is and is less able to The evaluator is not
to sense each of the satisfied and is able sense each of the satisfied for he is not
paragraph for to sense some of paragraph for able to sense each
himself. each of the himself. of the paragraph for
paragraph for himself.
himself.
Originality The use of imagery The use of imagery The use of imagery There is no hint of
is new and novel is new, but with is not very new. originality in the
little creativity submitted work.
Mechanics Most words are Some words are Words are chosen Words are chosen
carefully chosen; carefully chosen; with less care; with less care;
writing is clear and writing is clear and writing is sometimes writing is sometimes
legible. Most words legible. Most words unclear; most words unclear; some words
are spelled correctly are spelled are spelled correctly are spelled
and proper correctly and and is grammatically incorrectly and
punctuation is proper punctuation correct. proper punctuation
employed. is employed. is not employed.

Completion The project was The project was The project was The project was
submitted with all submitted but had a submitted but seems submitted largely
the requirements few lacking to be slightly unfinished.
satisfied. components. uncompleted.

18-20 pts. 14-17 pts. 10-13 pts. 6-9 pts. 5 and below
Excellent! Very Good Good Fair Try Again
The output The output The output The output The output
presented is done presented is done presented is done presented is hardly presented is not
pleasingly agreeably satisfying well satisfying done satisfying few finished and none
satisfying all the almost all of the some of the of the enumerated of enumerated
enumerated enumerated enumerated standard criteria. criteria is satisfied.
standard criteria. standard criteria. standard criteria.

Well done! Continue doing a No need to repeat Need to repeat the

Continue doing good job. Improve Extra effort is the activity. activity and
a great job. other skills on the needed. Try to Improvement is accomplish equal
Challenge criteria improve other expected on the task.
yourself by enumerated. skills on the next outputs.
doing much criteria
greater. enumerated.