Sensory Language Showing vs. Telling

Sensory Language Notes Sight Sound Smell Taste Touch

Example 1 From Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: I looked around the room that I had never in my wildest fantasies imagined I would see. Browned photographs leered or threatened from the walls and the white, freshly done curtains pushed against themselves and against the wind.

Example 2 From Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: They were flat round wafers, slightly browned on the edges and butter-yellow in the center. WHY DO WE USE SENSORY LANGUAGE?

Sensory Language is the use of details from the five senses to add color and depth to writing. It helps readers visualize the scene a writer is setting.

flash bright sharp clear light dark large blue Visual Imagery Language that helps the reader “see” Example Words flash bright sharp clear light dark large blue

Auditory Images Language used to help the reader “hear” what is taking place Example Words scream shout tone whisper ring utter nasal squeal quiet

Images of Smell Examples pungent fragrant sweet Language that evokes smell for readers Examples pungent fragrant sweet dank rich aroma stinky musty rotten odor foul *Use of similes and metaphors help strengthen images of smell

Images of Taste Example Words sweet sour salty bitter fresh juicy bland burnt zesty tangy

Images of Touch Example Words This is language that can help the reader understand touch, temperature, movement, and feelings Example Words warm grasp sharp cold rugged joyful fuzzy hard

--highlight all the sensory words -- 3 sentences each. Activity: Using Sensory Language Some of the most famous photographs that changed the world are about to follow. Your task is to use sensory language to describe what is taking place. You must do the following: --highlight all the sensory words -- 3 sentences each.

Example: The Kissing Sailor Her white shoe lifts off the black asphalt softly as her knee bends towards him. People cheer in the street all around them as they stream out of brick store and office buildings as the news broadcast screams down the boulevard, “Victory! Victory!” Alfred Eisenstaedt 1945

FLOWER POWER Bernie Boston

Raising the Second Flag at Iwo Jima Joe Rosenthal Feb. 23, 1945

1961 Hans Conrad Schumann jumping into West Berlin by Peter Leibing

Your Homework Find an Image (internet, magazine, book) and write a 4 sentence description of the photo using Sensory Language. Be sure to include the image and underline all of the Sensory Language that you use. DUE TUESDAY