Comprehensive Notes on Imagery (VAOGT, Kinesthetic/Organic, Poetry, Show vs Tell)

Imagery Definition and Creative Writing Tip

Imagery: descriptive language that appeals to the senses.
Creative Writing Tip #1: One way to make your sentences creative is to describe things or situations in sensory detail.

Visual, Auditory, Olfactory, Gustatory, Tactile (VAOGT) Imagery

Visual Imagery: appeals to sight.
Auditory Imagery: appeals to hearing.
Olfactory Imagery: appeals to smell.
Gustatory Imagery: appeals to taste.
Tactile Imagery: appeals to touch.

Visual Imagery (Examples)

The bright sun shines in the clear blue sky.
Raindrops sparkle on the green leaves.

Auditory Imagery (Examples)

Great winds whistled into the open air.
The clank of the keys and the heavy footsteps signaled my father’s arrival.
(Note: keywords in the line include "whistled" and "clank" to signal auditory imagery.)

Olfactory Imagery (Examples)

Strawberry-scented candles welcomed students visiting the nurse’s office.
The sweet aroma of coffee invited me to the shop.

Gustatory Imagery (Examples)

The ripe flavor of fruits was absolutely delicious.
The rich gravy complemented the spicy fried chicken.

Tactile Imagery (Examples)

Maganda felt the rough texture of paper as she submitted her outputs.
My crush’s cottony shirt rubbed through my elbows as he passed by.

Kinesthetic and Organic Imagery

KO: Kinesthetic – describes movements or actions; Organic – describes internal states (emotions and physiological sensations) through physical or emotional cues.

Kinesthetic Imagery (Examples)

He jumps high, his legs pushing off the ground with force.
She stretches her arms wide, feeling the muscles pull and tighten.

Organic Imagery (Examples)

Kiarah threw her hands in the air as piles of unorganized files fell.
She released a heavy sigh as the day ended.

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth

Poem title: I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
Visual imagery dominates the poem: images of the daffodils, lake, trees, sky, and waves.
Some kinetic imagery: dancing, tossing heads, waves dancing.
Key lines (stanza-by-stanza):
- 14: "When all at once I saw a crowd, a host of golden daffodils;" → Visual imagery, abundance.
- 15: "Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze" → Visual + Motion.
- 16: "They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of bay:" → Visual scale, abundance; $10{,}000$ saw I at a glance.
- 17: "Tossing their heads in sprightly dance" → Visual + Kinesthetic (dance/motion).
- 18: "The waves beside them danced; but they" → Visual + Motion (waves dancing).
- 19: "sparkling waves" → Visual.
- 20: "For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils" → Visual + Kinesthetic (dances) and internal imagery (inward eye).

Narrative Sentences with Imagery (Pages 22–32)

1) Throughout the drive, Luzviminda was clutching her elbows. Ironically, as she regrets not bringing her jacket, the speaker crackled Elsa’s ever-iconic line: “The cold never bothered me anyway.” This bothered Luzviminda.
- Imagery type: Kinesthetic (clutching elbows) + Auditory reference (quote) and sense of temperature (cold).
2) The fresh lavender scent spread inside the car.
- Imagery type: Olfactory.
3) Red orange hues extended its glow on the horizon.
- Imagery type: Visual.
4) His fingers were like a machine, dexterously switching from keys to keys.
- Imagery type: Kinesthetic (movement of fingers).
5) Joaquin, coming home from a drink with friends, slowly opened the door.
- Imagery type: Kinesthetic (slow movement).
6) “The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.”
- Imagery type: Auditory (notes of a song) + Visual/Auditory (sparrows twittering).
7) The latte was cold and creamy, with a gentle touch of saltiness.
- Imagery type: Gustatory (taste) + Tactile (texture/feel).
8) As I gently flipped another page, I have come to realize that I have finished reading the chapter.
- Imagery type: Kinesthetic (flipping pages) + maybe Tactile.
9) Seconds away from her audition, Consuela breathed.
- Imagery type: Organic (internal physiological state).
10) There was a fresh open wound with circular marks on her left knee.
- Imagery type: Visual.
11) The nutty flavor of the avocado perfectly pairs with the sweetness of the powdered milk.
- Imagery type: Gustatory.

Telling vs Showing (Pages 34–37)

Telling: I entered the faculty room. The teachers were busy.
- Type of writing: Telling; states the situation directly.
Showing: I was greeted by the buzz of printers and the frantic pacing of teachers, who didn’t seem to notice my presence.
- Type of writing: Showing; uses sensory details to convey mood and setting.
Show; Don’t Tell (examples):
- Telling: He lost.
- Showing: Dave sheepishly stood with his head bowed down.
- Show; Don’t Tell.
Show; Don’t Tell (other examples):
- Telling: I was shocked.
- Showing: My eyes darted towards his with a puzzling stare.
- Show; Don’t Tell.
Telling: He was angry.
- Showing: He curled his fist – his head, hot and heavy.
- Show; Don’t Tell.

Reading Assignment and Resources (Page 38–39)

Read Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour. (Year: $1984$ )
In the story, find examples for each type of imagery. Write your answer on a whole sheet of paper.
Access the full text here: https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/webtexts/hour/
References on imagery definitions and examples:
- Glatch, S. (2023, May 02). Imagery definition: 5+ types of imagery in literature. https://writers.com/imagery-definition
- OSU School of Writing, Literature and Film. (2019, April 25). “What is imagery?”: A literary guide for students and teachers [Video]. Oregon State Guide to Fiction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX413tALG7Q&t=2s
- Yamasaki, P. (2022, November 23). Imagery in writing: Examples of imagery as a literary device. https://www.grammarly.com/blog/imagery/