How is "imagery" defined in literature?

Master AMSCO Literary Terms and Allusions Test. Enhance your literary skills with engaging flashcards and multiple choice questions. Equip yourself with tips and insights to ace the test now!

Imagery in literature refers to language that evokes sensory experiences, engaging the reader's senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. By using descriptive and vivid language, imagery paints a mental picture, allowing readers to experience the events, scenes, and emotions of a narrative more fully. This sensory engagement can elicit emotional responses, helping to create a deeper connection to the text.

In contrast, the other options highlight different aspects of literature. While language that describes characters involves characterization, it does not encompass the broader sensory engagement that imagery provides. Dramatic irony specifically refers to a situation where the audience knows more about a situation than the characters do, which is a narrative technique rather than a description of language. Presenting moral dilemmas focuses on ethical challenges faced by characters, which is another literary theme but unrelated to the sensory experience of imagery. Thus, the emphasis on sensory experiences in option B captures the essence of what imagery is all about.

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