Dark Shape (Visual Imagery)
When Bug first encounters a spectral presence he describes it in the following way: "A tall, thin, dark shape looming in front of my closed door." This unsettling visual imagery gives a strong impression of the eerie experience Bug has seeing his uncle's ghost for the first time.
She’s (Not) an American Girl (Haptic Imagery)
Bug describes wearing a dress at his uncle's wake: "I focus on tightening my ponytail and tugging at the wrinkles in my dress. It’s too small for me, and if I hunch forward the material pulls across my back, keeping me a gasp away from a full breath.” This haptic imagery depicts the painful restriction he experiences while wearing this dress, highlighting his physical discomfort.
Rubber Smell (Olfactory Imagery)
Bug recalls changing a tire with his uncle: "I remember him showing me how to change the tire, our hands greasy and smelling like rubber and the earth." This olfactory imagery shows how much Bug and his uncle enjoyed working with their hands while also describing how strongly he retains that memory.
Voices (Auditory Imagery)
In the middle of the book, Bug describes an odd occurrence by the creek near his house: "it sounds a little like voices at first. Not people voices, just wordless chatter. But then it stops sounding like voices, and more like one voice." This auditory imagery portrays the supernatural moment Bug experiences in which he is overwhelmed by the sound of many voices speaking simultaneously.
