Literary Focus: Characterization
The question below refers to the selection "The Prologue from The Canterbury Tales."
Which of the following quotations from "The Prologue” is the best example of imagery?
a. “Thinly they fell, like rat-tails, one by one."
b. "In fifteen mortal battles he had been."
C. "Just home from service, he had joined our ranks."
d. "He'd seen some service with the cavalry."
Please select the best answer from the choices provided

a. “Thinly they fell, like rat-tails, one by one."

Explanation:

As a literary device, imagery is the use of language to describe people, ideas or objects while appealing to bodily senses. The very word 'imagery' is associated with forming pictures in our brain, but as a device, imagery does not only appeal to the sense of sight. Instead, it includes all of our senses.

In this particular line, "Thinly they fell, like rat-tails, one by one", the word "thinly" and the phrase "like rat-tails" suggest that the device used is imagery. In all the other options, since there are no descriptions at all, it is easy to notice that there are no examples of imagery.

1. read the following excerpt from franklin d. roosevelt's "fireside chat 19":

on the other side of the picture, we must learn also to know that guerilla warfare against the germans in, let us say serbia or norway, us; that a successful russian offensive against the germans us; and that british successes on land or sea in any part of the world strengthen our hands.

remember always that germany and italy, regardless of any formal declaration of war, consider themselves at war with the united states at this moment just as much as they consider themselves at war with britain or russia. and germany puts all the other republics of the americas into the same category of enemies. the people of our sister republics of this hemisphere can be honored by that fact.  

the true goal we seek is far above and beyond the ugly field of battle. when we resort to force, as now we must, we are determined that this force shall be directed toward ultimate good as well as against immediate evil. we americans are not destroyers — we are builders.

analyze the effectiveness of this excerpt. how does it function within the speech as a whole? how does the structure of the excerpt to convey the speech's purpose and key points? support your argument with evidence from the speech. (10 points)

what is the context here? we need to know what story you're talking about : )