Question

How does the imagery in this excerpt affect the passage?

Every franchiser and member of the city council had long forsaken it. They all wanted to move farther inland and build strip malls. Here the homes were tangled in cypress, low-hanging moss, tires, blocked-up cars, and rusty swing sets: the debris of people’s lives.

It helps create a somber mood.

It establishes a jovial tone.

It suggests that strip malls are impressive.

It conveys the idea that the city council members feel guilty about their actions.

Answer 1

A. It helps create a somber mood.

Imagery in literature exists in the form of descriptions, which can be descriptions of setting and/or things. When we look at the imagery present, we see the wording, “tangled in cypress, low-hanging moss, tires, blocked-up cars, and rusty swing sets.” This imagery creates a somber mood because of how age and neglect are alluded to, which is typically met with sadness/gloominess.