Imagery in Narrative

Imagery is one of the most important techniques in fiction writing. It is how the
author creates a mental image for the
reader using descriptive language. This
creates more engaging writing readers
can’t put down. Imagery creates the mood
or setting for the story. It’s important
to understand imagery to build your
writing skills.

Learn how to use imagery in fiction and what you need to know about making the
most of this technique.

What is imagery in literature?

Imagery is a lot like setting up a stage for a play. A writer sends his reader a series
of cues that direct the reader’s attention to what story events mean. The cues are
important because they act as motivation for the plot events. They also create an
effect on the reading experience.

The images trigger an emotional reaction in the reader. Imagery does not only describe
what something looks like or what a character feels. It also suggests and creates the
context for understanding the rest of the story. For example, describing a dark and
stormy afternoon sets the backdrop of conflict for any action that you have in your
story. A simple conversation between two parents about their children on a stormy
day seems to foreshadow trouble ahead. If the same conversation took place on a sunny
day with freshly cut grass, the reader comes away with a totally different
understanding.

Types of imagery in literature

There are seven distinct types of imagery:

 Visual  Tactile
 Auditory  Kinesthetic
 Olfactory  Organic
 Gustatory
Many images deal with the five senses, which all work together to help us create
mental images of whatever we are reading.

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Visual imagery

Visual imagery appeals to the sense of sight and plays the largest role in imagery in
literature. It describes what a scene or character looks like.

For instance, “The deep blue hues of twilight were reflected in the still water; the
slight glint of moonlight peeked through the clouds just enough to make out the
silhouette of a passing ship.”

The reader can imagine a still ocean scene at twilight as if they were standing on
the edge of the water themselves.

Auditory imagery

Auditory imagery describes specific sounds that are happening within the story.

For example, “The rooster crowed at early dawn, a sign that it was time to start
the day. John woke up, listening to the quiet murmurs of his children in the kitchen
below; the clang of pots and pans signalled that breakfast was almost ready.”

Can you hear the rooster? Are you imagining the clanging of pots and pans? How
does this auditory imagery assist in your overall mental image of the scene? The
imagery here describes particular sounds. Readers imagine a man waking up in a
quaint room in a log house and a rooster crowing at sunrise over a bright green field.

Olfactory imagery

Olfactory imagery describes a particular scent.

Let’s say you bite into a warm, steaming plate of maple smoked bacon. How would
that smell?

An author may describe it as, “The sweet scent of maple wafted through the room,
causing Stephanie to stop what she was doing and sniff the air. The second waft of
scent carried the underlying smoky scent of bacon; a scent only bacon straight off
the grill could have.”

Is your mouth watering yet? Are you itching to get off of the computer and go
cook up some bacon? Authors want you almost to smell the scent coming off the
pages. Describing the smell of a particular food can also help readers imagine how
that food tastes, which brings us to the next type of imagery.

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Gustatory imagery

Gustatory imagery pertains to the sense of taste.

Let’s say a fictional Jason wants to eat a delicious cupcake smothered in chocolate
frosting.

For example, “Jason took one look at the cupcake in front of him and couldn’t wait
for another second — he stuffed it right into his mouth. The rich, sweet, sugary
taste of chocolate ran over his taste buds as he chewed and swallowed the whole
dessert in less than ten seconds.”

I don’t know about you, but I want some chocolate now.

Tactile imagery

Tactile imagery appeals to the sense of touch. The feeling of a nice fuzzy blanket on
a cold night, the smooth underside of a snake, the rough texture of tree bark.
Anything you touch, you can describe through imagery.

The description of a bare hand on a mound of snow could be described as,

“Sarah placed her bare hand on the cold snow. It was wet at first, then the frigid
cold setting like a thousand needles, all pricking her palm at once.”

Kinesthetic imagery

These last two types of imagery extend beyond the five senses. Kinesthetic imagery
deals with the movement or action of objects or people.

An example of kinesthetic imagery could be, “The birds flapped their wings in
excitement, the promise of food so close. They sprung out of the tree, one by one,
soaring through the branches and swooping down low to the pile of berries beneath
the tree.”

The description of the way the birds fly down towards the ground helps the reader
create an accurate visual image of the scene.

Organic imagery

Organic imagery is the most difficult form of imagery to write. It deals with
creating a specific feeling or emotion within the reader. Phrases that make the
reader feel sad, fearful, nostalgic, elated, even lost are all extremely effective organic
imagery.

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Examples of organic imagery:

 Her eyes lit up the moment she saw him, and she ran into his arms.
 He lowered his head and covered his face with his hands. He couldn’t bear for
her to see what her words had done to him.
 She clenched her fists and then threw her hands in the air as he continued to
yell at her.

Here we can feel emotions of happiness, shame, sadness, anger, and frustration.

Have you ever read a book that made you question your entire existence? Some
authors have such a way with words that one simple sentence can resonate with you
for years.

Examples of the types of imagery

Type Example

Visual imagery : The old book had water spots across its spine. Some of
the pages yellowed.

Auditory imagery : The warden’s keys clanked as he walked past the cells.

Olfactory imagery : The air smelled salty, reminding me that the beach is
nearby.

Gustatory imagery : The warm doughnut tasted sweet with hints of vanilla
and strawberry.

Tactile imagery : The baby’s hair is soft and downy.

Kinesthetic imagery : The little boy ran down the street.

Organic imagery : The preschooler crossed his legs as he waited for his
classmate to finish in the restroom.

How to create imagery

Creating sensory imagery comes naturally to some authors and is extremely difficult
for others. Take a look at some of your favorite books or poems and see how the
author describes scenes or characters. If it’s easy to imagine what they’re describing,
that author has mastered imagery. See if you can pick out examples of all seven

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types of imagery used in literature! The more concrete details you use, the easier it
is for readers to create a vivid mental picture of what you wrote about.

Start by picking a scene or character and describing it in detail. You should include
as many concrete details as possible, and avoid using general statements.

For example, don’t say that a couple was sitting on the couch watching TV; instead,
describe the scene. What is the couch made of? What colour is it? How close do the
people sit next to each other? Don’t say that a horse is brown; instead, describe
the tail or mane of the horse.

A good description should include as many details as possible to give the reader a
vivid image of what’s happening. Be descriptive.

Related literary devices

Imagery is just one literary device that you can use. Other literary devices use
imagery, too. These include:

Flashbacks — a memory or a scene inserted into normal time. Flashbacks are often
used to help readers understand the character’s past and the events that led up to
the current point in time.

Foreshadowing — hints or clues that lead to an event or character later in the

Symbolism — a means of expression or representation that has symbolic meanings.

Simile — a comparison that uses a word such as “like” or “as” to make a point. For
example, “My room was as clean as a whistle.”

Metaphor — a comparison that uses a word such as “like” or “as” to make a point.
For example, “My room was clean like a whistle.”

Allusion — an implied reference to another piece of literature. They are often used
in poetry or contain cultural references that speak to the time period when the
author wrote the book.

Personification — “to personify” means to give human characteristics to something

Onomatopoeia — a word that sounds like what it describes.

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For example, a cat meows and a mouse scurries.

Juxtaposition — the placing of two or more things side-by-side to create a contrast.