The Silo's Architecture (Visual Imagery)
Holston lives in a massive, decrepit, underground silo, its architecture "slightly bowed from generations of traffic," worn down by "centuries of bare palms and shuffling feet." With only a single, blurred view of the outside, this architectural imagery creates a dismal, claustrophobic tone and atmosphere.
The Earth's Surface (Visceral Imagery)
The text reaches its climax when Holston steps onto the earth’s surface and is overwhelmed by the “green hills, green grass, green carpet beneath his feet.” Holston compares the blue sky to the illustrations in children’s books, which he feels are “truer” than the images presented on the silo’s screen. Sharply contrasting with the barren image of the hill beyond the silo, the text’s lush descriptions of the earth’s surface convey Holston’s elation at his suspicions being vindicated and his hope that Allison is still alive.
Children's Laughter (Auditory Imagery)
The text’s opening scene contrasts Holston’s grim trek to the holding cell against the auditory imagery of children laughing. In the silo’s cafeteria, young children play, “squealing as only happy children do” despite living in an oppressive, dismal environment. The children’s innocence, as they “had not yet come to grips with where they lived,” heightens Holston’s sense of disillusioned isolation and strengthens his resolve to accept his impending death. This auditory imagery prompts Holston to recall his disappointment at not being able to create a family under the silo’s strict reproductive laws, introducing the themes of control and legalism.
