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Idioms
Definition of Imagery
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After Apple-Picking" contain imagery that engages... read full definition
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After... read full definition
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines... read full definition
Part 1, Chapter 1: Playing Pilgrims
Explanation and Analysis—Music:
Many characters love music in Little Women. Alcott uses auditory imagery to emphasize the importance of music. For instance, Beth has a passion for piano, and in Chapter 1 she accompanies her family before they go to bed:
No one but Beth could get much music out of the old piano, but she had a way of softly touching the yellow keys and making a pleasant accompaniment to the simple songs they sang. Meg had a voice like a flute, and she and her mother led the little choir. Amy chirped like a cricket, and Jo wandered through the airs at her own sweet will, always coming out at the wrong place with a croak or a quaver that spoiled the most pensive tune.
Other characters appreciate music, too. Mr. Laurence fondly remembers his musically gifted granddaughter. Laurie wants to be a composer (until he realizes that he lacks the necessary genius). Because music affects so many characters in an emotional way, it often takes on a divine quality. It also serves as an indicator of family dynamics. Sometimes it is dissonant, which indicates a rift in the family. For instance, in Chapter 8, Amy burns Jo's notebook. Jo is so angry and hurt that she refuses to speak to Amy.
[...] something was wanting, and the sweet home peace was disturbed. They felt this most when singing time came, for Beth could only play, Jo stood dumb as a stone, and Amy broke down, so Meg and Mother sang alone. But in spite of their efforts to be as cheery as larks, the flutelike voices did not seem to chord as well as usual, and all felt out of tune.
In this passage, the girls' "flutelike" voices do not chord together as they usually do, and the phrase "out of tune" refers not only to their dissonant voices but also to the rift in their relations. Auditory imagery enhances this chapter's emotional impact.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—The Sisters:
Alcott uses visual imagery to establish a good sense of the main characters. In the first few chapters, she spends many sentences describing the sisters. She follows roughly the same procedure in each description: first, she mentions the girl's age, and then she begins to describe her body type, hair, and facial features. These portraits-in-prose create a detailed and distinct image of each sister in the beginning so that readers can envision them throughout the story.
Each sister's physical characteristics mirror their personality; for instance, Jo's "coltish" appearance reflects her clumsy, boyish, adventurous nature. Meg, by contrast, has the more traditionally-feminine qualities of softness and beauty:
Margaret, the eldest of the four, was sixteen, and very pretty, being plump and fair, with large eyes, plenty of soft brown hair, a sweet mouth, and white hands, of which she was rather vain. Fifteen-year-old Jo was very tall, thin, and brown, and reminded one of a colt, for she never seemed to know what to do with her long limbs, which were very much in her way. She had a decided mouth, a comical nose, and sharp, gray eyes, which appeared to see everything, and were by turns fierce, funny, or thoughtful. Her long, thick hair was her one beauty, but it was usually bundled into a net, to be out of her way. Round shoulders had Jo, big hands and feet, a flyaway look to her clothes[...]
This passage implicitly celebrates the girls for their unique qualities, but it does not glorify them beyond what is believable of women of their age and class. Its visual imagery provides important information about the sisters and reinforces the charmingly realistic style of Little Women.
Related Themes:
Part 1, Chapter 5: Being Neighborly
Explanation and Analysis—Flowers:
Alcott uses a lot of flower imagery in Little Women. In Chapter 5, Laurie observes the March girls through an open window:
"Why, you see I often hear you calling to one another, and when I'm alone up here, I can't help looking over at your house, you always seem to be having such good times. I beg your pardon for being so rude, but sometimes you forget to put down the curtain at the window where the flowers are. And when the lamps are lighted, it's like looking at a picture to see the fire, and you all around the table with your mother. Her face is right opposite, and it looks so sweet behind the flowers, I can't help watching it. I haven't got any mother, you know."
The window "where the flowers are" permits Laurie to see into the joyful life of the March girls and inspires him to connect with them. He emphasizes how sweet the March girls look "behind the flowers." The fact that he mentions flowers twice is significant, as he comes to associate them with femininity, beauty, and joy, which are all qualities of life he might be missing because he lost his mother.
Another example of flower imagery appears in Chapter 9 when Laurie sends Meg a box of flowers:
[...]the maid brought in a box of flowers. Before she could speak, Annie had the cover off, and all were exclaiming at the lovely roses, heath, and fern within.
Once again, flowers symbolize an appreciation for femininity and beauty. Roses especially are known to represent love and beauty. When the novel uses visual imagery to describe flowers, it upholds the importance of feminine beauty and love to its characters.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Mr. Laurence:
Visual imagery abounds in the text when the girls meet Mr. Laurence in Chapter 5:
"Thank you, ma'am," said a gruff voice behind her, and there, to her great dismay, stood old Mr. Laurence. Poor Jo blushed till she couldn't blush any redder, and her heart began to beat uncomfortably fast as she thought about what she had said. For a minute a wild desire to run away possessed her, but that was cowardly, and the girls would laugh at her, so she resolved to stay and get out of the scrape as she could. A second look showed her that the living eyes, under the bushy eyebrows, were kinder even than the painted ones, and there was a sly twinkle in them, which lessened her fear a good deal.
Jo's first look yields a focused description of her, rather than the object of her attention, which suggests great self-consciousness. Her face reddens, her heart races, and she desires to run away. Every physical detail after Jo sees Mr. Laurence is about her, and detailed visual imagery heightens the drama of her embarrassment.
Her second look reveals "living eyes" that were "kinder" than the ones she'd previously seen in the painting. The "sly twinkle" suggests Jo and Mr. Laurence will be good friends, as Jo possesses a boyish mischievousness. These images provide a nice juxtaposition of the girls' assumptions about Mr. Laurence versus his actual character.
Related Themes:
Part 1, Chapter 8: Jo Meets Apollyon
Explanation and Analysis—Music:
Many characters love music in Little Women. Alcott uses auditory imagery to emphasize the importance of music. For instance, Beth has a passion for piano, and in Chapter 1 she accompanies her family before they go to bed:
No one but Beth could get much music out of the old piano, but she had a way of softly touching the yellow keys and making a pleasant accompaniment to the simple songs they sang. Meg had a voice like a flute, and she and her mother led the little choir. Amy chirped like a cricket, and Jo wandered through the airs at her own sweet will, always coming out at the wrong place with a croak or a quaver that spoiled the most pensive tune.
Other characters appreciate music, too. Mr. Laurence fondly remembers his musically gifted granddaughter. Laurie wants to be a composer (until he realizes that he lacks the necessary genius). Because music affects so many characters in an emotional way, it often takes on a divine quality. It also serves as an indicator of family dynamics. Sometimes it is dissonant, which indicates a rift in the family. For instance, in Chapter 8, Amy burns Jo's notebook. Jo is so angry and hurt that she refuses to speak to Amy.
[...] something was wanting, and the sweet home peace was disturbed. They felt this most when singing time came, for Beth could only play, Jo stood dumb as a stone, and Amy broke down, so Meg and Mother sang alone. But in spite of their efforts to be as cheery as larks, the flutelike voices did not seem to chord as well as usual, and all felt out of tune.
In this passage, the girls' "flutelike" voices do not chord together as they usually do, and the phrase "out of tune" refers not only to their dissonant voices but also to the rift in their relations. Auditory imagery enhances this chapter's emotional impact.
Related Themes:
Part 1, Chapter 9: Meg Goes to Vanity Fair
Explanation and Analysis—Flowers:
Alcott uses a lot of flower imagery in Little Women. In Chapter 5, Laurie observes the March girls through an open window:
"Why, you see I often hear you calling to one another, and when I'm alone up here, I can't help looking over at your house, you always seem to be having such good times. I beg your pardon for being so rude, but sometimes you forget to put down the curtain at the window where the flowers are. And when the lamps are lighted, it's like looking at a picture to see the fire, and you all around the table with your mother. Her face is right opposite, and it looks so sweet behind the flowers, I can't help watching it. I haven't got any mother, you know."
The window "where the flowers are" permits Laurie to see into the joyful life of the March girls and inspires him to connect with them. He emphasizes how sweet the March girls look "behind the flowers." The fact that he mentions flowers twice is significant, as he comes to associate them with femininity, beauty, and joy, which are all qualities of life he might be missing because he lost his mother.
Another example of flower imagery appears in Chapter 9 when Laurie sends Meg a box of flowers:
[...]the maid brought in a box of flowers. Before she could speak, Annie had the cover off, and all were exclaiming at the lovely roses, heath, and fern within.
Once again, flowers symbolize an appreciation for femininity and beauty. Roses especially are known to represent love and beauty. When the novel uses visual imagery to describe flowers, it upholds the importance of feminine beauty and love to its characters.
Related Themes:
