SHS 1 ENG Lesson Note 43
This is English for SHS 1
Lesson 43
Essay Writing
Topic: Descriptive Writing 2 (Creating images) Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- identify different types of images in a piece of writing.
- use the appropriate words to create images.
- create images of sight in your description.
Imagery or the Creation of Images
When we write, we pass on messages. When we describe, we try to make the listener or the reader understand fully what we describe. If we are describing a real person, for example, and our description is good, our listener should be able to recognise the person when he or she meets the person. In the same way, the person we describe our house to should be able to identify the house when he or she sees it. How is this possible?
This is possible because, when we describe, we create images. This is to say that, when we describe, we try to make the listener or reader see what we see. This is called the creation of the imagery of sight. If we create a good imagery of sight, we make our listener see what we have seen with his or her mind‟s eye. If our listener or reader is a good artist, he or she will be able to draw a picture of what we have described. Thus, if a description is good, it should make the listener or reader see what is being described very clearly.
Some words can help us create images.
Some of the words are used in the negative sense or to show disapproval, and others in the positive sense, to show our approval. Some other words are quite neutral, in that, their use does not show approval or disapproval.
Read the following sentences silently. Do you know the meanings of the words underlined in the sentences? Look up the meanings of the words underlined in the following sentences in the dictionary later to make sure you are able to use them correctly.
Which of the words underlined in the sentences will you not mind being described with? Why?
- The girl looks plump.
- The girl looks fat.
iii. This girl is obese.
Here is another group of sentences:
- The boy I saw was slim.
- This boy is skinny.
iii. The boy looks emaciated.
Let us look at another group of sentences. How will you describe the town or city you like?
- The town is large.
- The town is huge.
iii. He lived in a sprawling town.
You will find more examples of these in your quizzes section.
You note that adjectives are important in the creation of images. But then, we must be careful to use the appropriate adjective. Remember that some adjectives are used to show that we do not really approve of the quality we are describing.
Another device that writers use to create imagery is the simile. The simile is a literary device that uses the words like, as, resembles, and some such words to show the similarities between things that are not really similar in many ways. Here are examples of the use of the simile:
- Somu worked likea horse.
- Alice is asgentle as a dove.
iii. The market queen resembles the tortoise in her dealings with the farmers.
When you use this literary device, you are able to make people see certain qualities in the object you are describing. Then, you will have made you readers see what you want them to see.
Look at the pictures. How will you describe Miss Sikann and Mr. Ponton?
Select from the group of words given the words that you will use in describe Figure A and Figure
thin | obese | slender underweight | fat | skinny | ||
overweight | bony | corpulent | stout |
Here are other ways to describe the two figures: Miss Sikann is pencil slim.
Miss Sikann is as thin as a reed. Miss Sikann resembles an antelope. Mr. Ponton is round like a football. Mr. Ponton is as heavy as an elephant.
In what other ways can you compare Miss Sikann? What other things can you compare Mr. Ponton with?
This means that when we describe we can compare what we are describing with something that the reader knows. Even though we are comparing two things that are not alike, such as Mr. Ponton and a football, the readers will immediately see the similarity. In the case of Mr. Ponton and a football, the roundness is indirectly emphasized.
Remember that the use of words, such as „like‟, „as‟, „resembles‟, and the like to show how two things which are not really alike are similar in certain respects is what is termed the simile in literature. It is a very good way of doing a good description. If you describe using a simile, you will not fail to make your reader „see‟ what you want him or her to see.
What other techniques can we use when we describe?
Remember, in our last lesson we said that, when you write a descriptive essay, it is important to follow a spatial order. This will make you help your listener or reader to follow your description without getting confused.
Also, you must try to ensure that your listener or reader is able to see with his or her mind’s eye what you are describing. This is called the creation of images. That is to say that if you write to make the reader see what you wish him or her to see with his or her mind’s eye, you have created an imagery of sight. This means that in your descriptive essay, you must also create images.
Apart from the imagery of sight, there are four other kinds of images:
- The imagery of sound or hearing
- The imagery of smell or olfactory images
iii. The imagery of taste
- The imagery of touch or tactile images.
The five images correspond with the human senses; seeing, hearing, smell, taste and touch. This means that when we describe, we should try to make the listener or reader perceive with the five human senses. Our description must make the listener or reader see what we have seen, hear what we have heard, smell what we have smelt, taste what we have tasted, and, touch or seem to touch what we have touched.
We can do this in our writing by using words and expressions that suggest or imply the use of any of the five human senses.
Here is an example:
Read the short text below carefully and identify the kinds of images used in it.
When the boys reached the building, they noticed that all was quiet there. Not even the chirping of crickets could be heard now. They gathered around and looked intently at the large door. Dan ran his fingers over the door handle. It was rough and damp. Then Joe whispered: “Do you smell what I smell?” “Yeah!” the two other boys whispered back in unison. “Kelewele!” Then from within came a whirring sound. It sounded like a well- greased fan working in there. They looked at one another. And then they turned round, ready to flee. In front of them stood a huge hairless dog. In its mouth was a polythene bag dripping with oil. Joe felt the warm liquid run down his legs. Kelly had his lower lip between his teeth at this time. Unconsciously, the sight of this ugly animal made him bite deep into his lip. When he tasted the salty taste of blood he let out a terrible scream of fright.
Now let us look at the kinds of imagery that are used in this short passage. First, we can see the building with our minds eye.
Let us read the text again. What other things can we see?
We can see the large door, the door handle, the hairless dog with the polythene bag dripping with oil in its mouth.
These are the things that writer has been able to make us see. These constitute what we shall call the images of sight in the text.
Imagery of Sound or Imagery of Hearing
Images of sound are created when the writer uses a word or words that invokes our sense of hearing, or reminds us of the sound of something.
Do we hear anything with our mind’s ear when we read this text?
The writer mentions the „chirping of the crickets‟. If we know crickets and the kind of noise that those creatures make, the mention of „chirping‟ reminds us of the sound. In fact, we will seem to hear the sound. What about the mention of „quiet‟. Do we „hear‟ the quiet? Of course, we cannot hear silence, but the mention of „quiet‟ reminds us of silence, and what it feels like to be at a place that is quiet. In addition, we hear the whisper and the whirring noise.
By using those words and expressions, the writer has created the imagery of hearing or sound.
He helps us to get a clearer picture of what he is writing about by making us „hear‟ those sounds.
Closely related to the use of descriptive words to create imagery, or to make our reader hear what we heard, we can also use onomatopoeic words. Onomatopoeia refers to words that that name objects or animals by the sounds they make.
Do you know the bird called the crow? Listen carefully to the sound that the bird makes. The name it is given sounds so very much like the sound it makes.
Apart from the names of animals and things that reflect the sounds those animals make, there are some verbs that reflect sounds.
Look at this sentence:
Water had entered Joe’ shoes and they squelched.
After the rain, the potholes filled up with water, and careless drivers splashed water on the hapless pedestrians as they sped by.
The words „squelched‟ and „splashed‟ are onomatopoeic words; they reflect they sound of the action
Thus, you can create a lot of imagery of sound by using onomatopoeic words. Which other onomatopoeic words do you remember? Here are a few.
bang | whoosh | boom | bash | beep | bark |
blurt | crack | chirp | creak | cuckoo | meow |
Imagery of Smell
Now, let us talk about the imagery of smell.
We can also talk about the imagery of smell or olfactory images in this text. Remember that the imagery of smell occurs when the writer uses a word or words that evoke the sense of smell. Does the writer make us „smell‟ something or simply to remember the smell of something? Yes! When the writer mentions „kelewele‟, anyone who knows „kelewele‟ is reminded of the s mell of kelewele. In fact, if you know and love „kelewele‟, your mouth may even begin to water even though you have not seen the food.
That is a good example of the creation of the imagery of smell.
Images of touch
There is the creation of the imagery of touch as well in the text. Remember that the creation of this imagery involves the use of a word or words to evoke the sense of touch. Does the writer use a word that makes us seem to touch, or seem to be touched by something? The creation of this imagery could also mean that we remember how it feels like to touch something or be touched y something because the writer has used a particular word or some particular words.
Now, let us read the text again. In what sentence do we find an example of the use of t his imagery?
“Dan ran his fingers over the door handle. It was rough and damp.”
In these two sentences we literally touch the door handle with Dan and we feel the roughness and the dampness.
Thus the writer has created the imagery of touch for us. Imagery of taste
An image of taste is created when the writer uses a word or words that remind us of the taste of something. Sometimes the imagery of sight and/or the imagery of smell can give rise to the imagery of taste. If you know and love fried chicken, and you see a picture of fried chicken or is reminded of the smell of fried chicken, you will be reminded of the taste of fried chicken simply by seeing the picture.
How is imagery of taste created in the text?
In the last sentence of the text, the writer tells us Kelly’ reaction when he saw the huge hairless dog
“When he tasted the salty taste of blood he let out a terrible scream of fright.”
Kelly, in his fright, had bitten his own lip. He tasted the blood.
Once again, the writer has created an imagery through the description. This is the imagery of taste.
Summary
In this lesson, you have learnt that:
- in describing, we can create images
- there are five different types of images in a description
- we can use some special adjectives and similes to create images
- it is important to create images of sight in your description
CONTENT CONSULTANTS
Author
Prosper Kwesi Agordjor, M.Phil.
Peer Reviewers
John Tetteh Agor, Ph.D.
Modestus Fosu, Ph.D.
William Foli Garr, (Rev.) M.Phil.