Writers use words to give us a picture or image without actually saying what they mean. Can you trace some images used in the poem?
The poet uses vivid visual imagery to paint a picture of the characters and their surroundings. The image of the "little white house" with the "little black kitten", "little grey mouse", and "little yellow dog" creates a colourful, vibrant, and lively picture in the reader's mind.
Furthermore, the poet uses strong imagery to describe the dragon's fierce appearance. The phrases "Mouth like a fireplace" and "chimney for a nose" create a vivid image of a fire-breathing dragon. The images of "spikes on top of him and scales underneath" and "daggers on his toes" give a sharp, dangerous, and intimidating picture of Custard, contrasting with his cowardly nature.
Explanation
The question asks students to identify imagery—words that create mental pictures. The context provides several visual descriptions, particularly the colours of the house and pets (white, black, grey, yellow, red) and the fierce physical features of the dragon (fireplace, chimney, spikes, scales, daggers). These images help readers visualize the setting and the characters without the poet explicitly stating that the house was colourful or the dragon looked fierce.