The Windmill
The description of the windmill that stands at the center of the village depicts a sense of sight. The narrator says, "In the village center, stood a windmill, placed on a little moss-grown slope: it was a landmark to all the level country.” The imagery is significant because it shows readers that the village's economic activity is corn farming, thus requiring a landmark windmill. The readers learn that the village's corn is compared to a tideless sea, implying that it spreads too far in kilometers that cannot be estimated.
The mud-hut
The author paints the image of old Jehan Daa's hut to show how the older man was organized and contended with the little things the world had to offer. The narrator says, "It was very humble little mud-hut indeed, but it was clean and white as a seashell and stood in a small plot of garden ground that yielded beans and herbs and pumpkins." The imagery is paramount because it shows readers that despite Nello and his grandfather living in poverty, they are neat, organized, and happy. The ambiance and peacefulness of the mud hut were vital in helping Nello to forget his problems and look forward to a better future.
Age and size
The introduction provides an imaginary image of Nello and his dog. The reader sees that the dog is the same age as Nello but bigger in size. The narrator says, "Nello was a little Ardennois–Patrasche was a big Fleming. They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.” The imagery shows that friendship has no boundaries. Importantly, the imagery emphasizes the friendliness of dogs to human beings, and Nello proves that a dog is man's best friend.
