Sight
In the beginning, the author paints a picture of Cecil's reaction when the little girl from her fourth floor flat drops a wet watermelon on his head. Cecil is sensitive to watermelons. He sneezes so loud and hard until the dry fallen leaves and snippets of garbage fly rowdily about. The scene of Cecil's reaction to the watermelon paints a clear image in the reader's minds to see the unfolding events at the novel's beginning. The imagery is significant because it prepares readers to anticipate bad things to occur to Cecil throughout the novel. The evil cat that wants to see Cecil suffer mysteriously follows him wherever he goes. Consequently, the book's introductory imagery shows that all is not well for Cecil despite having a lucky rabbit behind him trying to keep the black cat away.
Smell
The author depicts the sense of smell to readers when he writes, “But apart from smelling a bit like the Great Imbrolio, it certainly seems quite normal.” When the Great Imbrolio sets a magic show in town, Cecil attends, and the magician asks him to smell a hat and determine if it is ordinary. After smelling the hat, Cecil nods to confirm it is a normal hat. The imagery represents the power of magic. The only way Cecil can get well is by smelling the magician's hat, which will, in return, cast out the pain inflicted on him by the evil cat.
Imbrolio's voice
The crowd gathers around Imbrolio's magic show. At first, people start thinking that he is a fraud. However, listening to Imbrolio's voice, one person at the back believes that the magician is serious. The author says, "Something in Imbrolio's voice is so horrific, so chilling, that even the muscular guy in back figures he's better to stop flexing his pecs and calling people Gooble." The magician proves his powers when he heals Cecil. The imagery in this context represents the authority of the magician.
