"Dry September"
The very first sentence of “Dry September” establish the story’s strategy of engaging imagery as the means of conveying how the violence of the tale slowly intensifies before reaching an explosive climax:
“Through the bloody September twilight, aftermath of sixty-two rainless days, it had gone like a fire in dry grass — the rumor, the story, whatever it was.”
Of equal significance is an image occurring later: “the wan hemorrhage of the moon” foreshadows in a more concretely symbolic way an mage of the blood that will eventually spill as mere unfounded rumor becomes a glowing torch of distrust.
"Red Leaves"
A snuff box, gilt bed, red high heel shoes and various other artifacts recovered from an abandoned steamboat—as well as the abandoned steamboat itself—become the property of Native Americans at the center of this story. The impact of pervasive imagery revealing the ways in which those who make use of these aristocratic items in ways distinctly different from their European intent is revelatory for the thematic consideration of how white appropriation of indigenous property led to inevitable conflicts during the period of assimilation of conquered tribes.
"Barn Burning"
The central controlling use of imagery in “Barn Burning” is not associated with fire or flames as one might expect from the title nor does it show up until the story is almost over. By then, the story really seems more as though it is about burning bridges rather than burning barns because that is exactly what young Sarty is doing as he abruptly and decisively begins to “run, stumbling, tripping over something and scrabbling up against without ceasing to run.” From that point on through the final two full paragraphs before the story ends, the imagery relentlessly devoted to Sarty’s run. Images in Sarty’s mind of his father going heroically off to war as a young mix and mingle with present-day images of rising of the dawn, whippoorwill, aching body parts and the rapid beating of his heart to convey the significance not of a barns being literally burnt, but of Sarty burning all bridges linking him back to his pyromaniacal father.
"A Rose for Emily"
Miss Emily Grierson is introduced to the reader in the first line of this story almost as an incidental character to the real star of the show. Recently deceased, she was considered more historical monument than human being and the most interesting thing about her is her once grand and now deteriorating mansion. That house is the main character of the story as far as imagery goes; although one could make the argument that Emily and her home are essentially the same. The images presented of the mansion is one that was truly a showcase in its time—slavery-era Dixie—but which has fallen upon hard times. The link is clear: Miss Emily’s home is constructed through the use of imagery as a metaphor for the South itself; a decaying monument of dust and shadows where the presence of black men has been severely reduced in both number and ability.
