Writing: Detail and Imagery as Tools in Descriptive Writing
Among the tools of the writer trying to describe a place or
event are detail and imagery. Details can appeal to all the
reader’s senses, can show the reader something rather than
telling. Details contribute to developing an image of what the
writer is trying to convey. Colorful, evocative language can
also help develop that image. Read historian Francis Parkman’s
"Massacre of the Devil’s Hole" from the "Historic Handbook of
the Northern Tour" for the imagery in the author’s narrative. -
What details in Parkman’s account help you build an image of the
place where the events occurred? What details help you picture
the event? - What examples of colorful and evocative language
can you find in Parkman’s account? How does this language help
you imagine the place and events? - In your opinion, what is the
role of imagery in conveying a historical episode? - Can strong
imagery help to convey a particular bias? Use examples of
Parkman’s account to support you