How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water Imagery

Cecilia's Scream (Auditory Imagery)

Cara describes the scream of Tita's daughter Cecilia in the following way: "The others were afraid because Cecilia does this thing with her eyes where she looks up and around, and her scream–it's not a scream, it's like Eeeeeeeeee!–like an ice pick in the ear." This auditory imagery gives a visceral sense of how piercing and unsettling the sound of her yelling is.

Wet Sheets (Haptic Imagery)

Talking about the humidity in the Dominican Republic, Cara says: "It was so hot. The humidity you can't imagine; the sheets in the bed always wet." The haptic imagery of the wet sheets evokes the damp, swamp-like climate of the country.

Cancer Smell (Olfactory Imagery)

Cara claims that she can smell sickness on people. Talking about one of her friends, she says: "The cancer on her skin smelled like mangos, the kind you find in the playa. They smell both salty and sweet." This olfactory imagery creates a contrast between the pleasant mango aroma of her skin and the terrible news it imparts.

Fluorescent Bulb (Visual Imagery)

Cara describes Tita's apartment as bare and depressing: "The only light was a horrible fluorescent bulb in the ceiling." The visual imagery of the single light bulb gives a sense of how grim Tita's circumstances are.