What is imagery and what effects can be made in any given text?

Imagery can be:

• Metaphor
  
• Similes
  
• Personification
  
• Figurative language

Writer's use imagery to create dramatic effect, which is significant in making a text believable, interesting and relatable to a particular theme. Metaphors and similes are important as they help the reader build up an understanding of a character/place/concept in a creative way, rather than offering flat statements that prevent individual interpretation. Personification can be effective as human qualities are given to a non-human entity; this gives the object a personality and is therefore easier/more creative for the reader to view this object in a new way. Figurative language essentially creates an image through words and forces the object to represent something symbolic or important, giving a text greater meaning and creating different themes that aren't obvious upon first inspection.