Imagery, Voice, and Tone Open your mind…

1. Imagery Meaning Language that appeals to the senses Often involves figurative language

Identifying Images Ask if the image appeals to one of the five senses Ask if the image appeals to one of the five senses

Sight The bright yellow sun hurt our eyes. The soft glow of the candle flickered like a firefly dancing in the wind.

Sound The load roar of the crowd sounded like a beast. The soft whisper of her dainty voice tickled his ears.

Smell The room reeked of month old rancid milk. The smell of spring filled our nostrils as the freshly cut flowers were placed on the mantle.

Taste The sweet bread was laden with thick honey. The tarts and sweet pies tantalized the tongue with a myriad of tangy flavors.

Touch The smoothness of the bird's feathers reminded him of rose petals. He considered that the volcano's heat on his skin was the equivalent of being inside of an oven.

Daffodils (Extract) by William Blake I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o’er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Simile: narrator uses “as” to compare himself to a cloud. The image is a lone cloud floating above hills. Metaphor: compares the daffodils to a crowd. The image is a thick layer of yellow flowers covering the ground. Personification: The daffodils are described as “dancing” to create an image of fluttering flowers.

2. Tone Meaning The writer’s attitude as revealed by diction Diction – word choice

2. Mood Meaning The effect of the writer’s use of tone on the reader

The Old Stoic (Extract) by Emily Brontë Riches I hold in light esteem, And Love I laugh to scorn; And lust of Fame was but a dream That vanished with the morn - And if I pray, the only prayer That moves my lips for me Is - ‘Leave the heart that now I bear, And give me liberty.’ The speaker uses a mocking tone. He purposely points his disregard for things that people normally value.

3. Persona Meaning The identity and character of the text The persona is the speaker as revealed through the voice (determined by tone and diction).

Determining a poem’s persona… Ask these questions: Who is speaking? What can we tell about the speaker’s situation or point of view? What types of words or images are being used? What is the general tone of the piece?

The Road Not Taken (Extract) by Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; The speaker is a lone traveler who is caught at a fork in the road. The speaker seems to be torn. He is making a great effort to look down the paths before making a decision. The undergrowth prevents the speaker from deciphering the path. The tone emphasizes the difficulty of the speaker’s decision.