WHEN GREAT TREES FALL.

 Maya Angelou wrote "When Great Trees Fall" in response to the death of her friend, the renowned writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin. The poem's speaker compares the loss of "great souls" such as Baldwin to the fall of "great trees," the impact of which can be felt in every direction. After a death like this, the poem implies, it can be hard for people to carry on; they may feel they have lost not only an important person, but everything this person stood for as well. Yet the "spaces" such people leave behind won't stay empty forever, and the poem suggests that the living ultimately find comfort in remembering how these "great souls" managed to improve the world. Though the poem was written specifically for Baldwin, it speaks more generally to the experience of losing someone important and the ways in which even the most poignant grief eventually gives way to acceptance.

The speaker uses the image of a giant "tree fall[ing]" to explain just how far and wide this particular death is felt. The speaker says that when this "tree[] fall[s], / rocks on distant hills shudder" and "lions hunker down / in tall grasses." In other words, this death shakes those as immovable as "rocks" and as fearless as "lions." Indeed, "even elephants / lumber after safety," suggesting that even the mightiest people feel powerless after a loss of this magnitude.

And at first, the speaker continues, the pain of such a loss seems to erase all the good the dead once brought into the world. When "great souls die," those who were "dependent upon their / nurture" seem to wither away. "Minds" that were "formed / and informed" by the person's "radiance" seem to return to "ignorance." The world itself can suddenly feel "sterile" and hostile.

Still, the speaker offers hope for the bereaved, assuring them that after some time has passed, they'll take comfort in knowing that the person they've lost made the world a better place. Though it happens "slowly and always / irregularly," the speaker says that eventually "peace blooms" and "a kind of / soothing electric vibration" replaces the emptiness of loss. Though the bereaved will "never / be the same," they will take heart in the fact that their loved ones once "existed." The poem suggests, then, that although grief may feel all-consuming at first, survivors can eventually find acceptance and peace by remembering the contributions of the "great souls" they lost.

IMAGERY: DEFINITION AND TYPES

Definition of imagery:

Imagery is a literary device that utilizes figurative language to create sensory impressions and evoke mental images for the reader. It helps to create a more vivid and engaging reading experience by appealing to one or more of the five senses.

Types of imagery:

1. Visual imagery creates mental pictures for the reader by appealing to the sense of sight. It describes colors, shapes, sizes, and patterns. Examples include describing a bright red apple or a shimmering sunset. Visual imagery can be used to enhance the reader's experience by making them more engaged with the text. 

Examples: 

Color: "The ruby earrings caught the light, sparkling like a thousand tiny stars." 

Shape: "The old house stood on a hill, its pointed roof silhouetted against the setting sun." 

Size: "A monstrous wave crashed against the shore, swallowing the small boat whole." 

Pattern: "The mosaic floor was a swirling tapestry of colors and shapes." 

Light and Darkness: "The room was dimly lit, casting long shadows on the walls." 

Shadows: "The shadows danced on the walls as the fire flickered." 

Shade: "The verdant glades spread before them, dappled with sunlight." 

2. Auditory Imagery: 

Auditory imagery uses descriptions to evoke sounds and create an auditory experience for the reader. Examples include the "sizzle of frying bacon" or the "whistle of the wind". This imagery can range from enjoyable sounds like music and bird song to noises like gunfire or the clanging of keys. It can even describe the lack of noise, like a peaceful silence or an eerie quiet. 

Examples: 

The wind howled a mournful song as it swept through the desolate landscape.

The warden's keys clanked as he walked past the cells.

Trees rustled in rhythm as the breeze whistled softly through the leaves.

The distant murmur of people conversing from an open window at night.

The sound of war - gunfire, explosions, screams, and helicopters.

The quiet hum of a refrigerator.

The gentle lapping of waves on the shore.

The buzzing of bees in the garden.

The crackling of a fire. 

3. Olfactory Imagery: This imagery engages the sense of smell, allowing readers to imagine scents. 

Example: "The air hung thick with the sweet, intoxicating aroma of freshly baked bread."

4. Gustatory Imagery: This imagery engages the sense of taste, making readers imagine flavors. 

Example: "The first bite of the juicy, ripe peach exploded with a sweet and tangy flavor."

5. Tactile Imagery: This imagery engages the sense of touch, making readers feel textures and sensations. 

Example: "The rough bark of the ancient oak tree felt cool and damp beneath his fingertips." 

Courtesy: Google AI