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Idioms
Definition of Imagery
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After Apple-Picking" contain imagery that engages... read full definition
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After... read full definition
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines... read full definition
Chapter 2
Explanation and Analysis—A Great Tree in Leaf:
One of many important instances of dialect in the book, and Hurston's use of it as a literary device, is the following, as Janie begins her story to Pheoby in Chapter 2:
Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone. Dawn and doom was in the branches. 'Ah know exactly what Ah got to tell yuh, but it’s hard to know where to start at.'
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Chapter 3
Explanation and Analysis—Mule-Foots:
Logan Killicks, Janie's first husband, rarely washes and is quite gross. Janie's description of this, describing to Nanny why she can't stand Logan, is some of the most visceral imagery in the book. And it is a good example of the fact that imagery is not only a visual tool, but can use description of any physical sense. Here, the focus is Logan's smell:
Unlock with LitCharts A+His belly is big too, now, and his toe-nails look lak mule-foots. And 'tain't nothin' in de way of him washing his feet every evenin' before he comes tuh bed. 'Tain't nothin' tuh hinder him 'cause Ah places de water for him. Ah’d ruther be shot wid tacks than tuh turn over in de bed and stir up de air whilst he is in dere. He don’t even never mention nothin’ pretty.
Related Themes:
Chapter 8
Explanation and Analysis—Baggy:
Hurston makes a very evocative image of the fat, decrepit figure of an elderly Joe Starks, one of the multiple descriptions of the horrible states to which each of Janie's husbands come. This description focuses on his looseness, as he all but melts away:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Then too she noticed how baggy Joe was getting all over. Like bags hanging from an ironing board. A little sack hung from the corners of his eyes and rested on his cheek-bones, a loose-filled back of feathers hung from his ears and rested on his neck beneath his chin. A sack of flabby something hung from his loins and rested on his thighs when he sat down. But even these things were running down like candle grease as time moves on.
Related Themes:
