The Egypt Game at Night
"Dimly lit by a distant streetlight, two flashlights, and a jack-o’-lantern, it was almost too fascinating to bear." This is an example of visual imagery that describes the setting of the Egypt Game at night. The use of the phrase "dimly lit" creates a sense of darkness and shadows, which is reinforced by the description of the lighting sources: a distant streetlight, two flashlights, and a jack-o’-lantern. These sources of light are not very bright, which contributes to the eerie atmosphere of the scene. The phrase "almost too fascinating to bear" suggests that the setting is both captivating and overwhelming, which creates a sense of tension and excitement. Overall, this sentence uses sensory details to create a vivid picture of the nighttime setting of the Egypt Game, which helps to immerse the reader in the story.
The Setting of the Temple
A good example of imagery is the description of the setting of the temple and the atmosphere of the scene through visual and olfactory imagery: "The sun was very low and the shade was deep in the back of the temple where the new altar to Thoth had been built. The huge tattered owl seemed to be leaning forward, staring into the incense burner; and as they watched, a final twist of fragrant smoke curled upward like a dancing snake and seemed to wind itself around the head of Thoth." The use of the words "sun was very low" and "shade was deep" creates a sense of time and place, which helps to convey the mood of the scene. The description of the tattered owl leaning forward and staring into the incense burner creates a sense of movement and focus, which helps to convey the mystical and mysterious nature of the temple. And then the appearance of the fragrant smoke curling upward like a dancing snake creates a sense of movement and fluidity, which helps to convey the beauty and grace of the scene.
The Illusion of Safety
"It was very quiet and very dark in the alley and familiar things loomed up suddenly, huge and out of shape. The flashlight beam, none too steady in April’s hand, made trash bins crouch and garbage pails lurk, and a length of hose slither against a wall" – This is also a good example of visual imagery to describe the setting of the scene. The use of the words "very quiet and very dark" creates a sense of stillness and emptiness, which helps to convey the sense of isolation and vulnerability of the characters. The description of familiar things looming up suddenly, huge and out of shape creates a sense of distortion and disorientation, which helps to convey the sense of fear and uncertainty of the characters. The use of the words "trash bins crouch and garbage pails lurk and a length of hose slither against a wall" creates a sense of movement and animation, which helps to convey the sense of danger and threat to the environment. Overall, the sentence uses vivid and descriptive language to create a sense of atmosphere and mood, which helps to immerse the reader in the story.
The Squeaky Board
The author also uses some great examples of auditory imagery, for example: "But that night, probably because of the nervousness, April grabbed the board and shoved it the wrong way. And the big crooked nails on which it swung let out a wild rusty shriek" This imagery creates a vivid mental picture of sound. In this case, the imagery describes the sound produced by the big crooked nails on which the board swung. The use of the words "wild" and "rusty" suggests that the sound was harsh, unpleasant, and possibly unexpected. The word "shriek" implies a high-pitched, piercing sound that may have been startling or alarming. Overall, this auditory imagery helps to create a sense of tension and suspense in the scene
The Thunderous Roar
"[...] there was a huge shuddering thumping noise that seemed to come from everywhere at once" – This is also an example of auditory imagery. In this case, the imagery describes a loud and powerful noise that seems to be coming from all directions at once. The use of the words "huge", "shuddering", and "thumping" suggest that the sound was intense, forceful, and possibly frightening. The phrase "seemed to come from everywhere at once" implies that the sound was so loud and all-encompassing that it was difficult to locate its source. Overall, this auditory imagery helps to create a sense of tension and suspense in the scene.
