Hand to Ear (Auditory Imagery)
As soon as the man moves into his rented room, he begins exploring the peculiar objects that fill it. In an illustration that indicates there is a curiosity-inducing sound in the room, the man cups his hand around his ear and leans close to a lidded pot. In this example of auditory imagery, Tan invites the reader to imagine the strange sound that the man is hearing.
Wall of Windows (Visual Irony)
After the man puts his family's portrait on the wall of his rented room, Tan widens the perspective to show the man's window set into a massive wall of other windows. In this example of visual imagery, Tan emphasizes the protagonist's anonymity in the foreign land. Although the reader has spent so much time staying close to the man's point of view, this image reminds the reader that the man is merely one of many people living in similar circumstances.
Blurred Pet (Visual Imagery)
At the beginning of Part III, the man wakes up to a cloud-like blur hovering before his face. As the panels progress, the figure gains definition until it is clear that the man's pet is standing on his chest with a dopey expression. This example of visual imagery immerses the reader in the man's perspective by literally placing the point of view behind eyes that are adjusting to being open first thing in the morning.
