Imagery

"Crimson at the horizon, the last of the sunset faded, through orange, upwards into yellow and pale watery green." Pg. 73

     Sometimes people talk about imagery as something aesthetic. How cool is it to imagine a fading sun struggling to grasp onto the very last hill before drowning into darkness? In this instance though, the imagery preceeds the sight of a factory-like crematorium. The description forms a paradox of imagery. First I read of a majestic dusk. Then comes the image of burning bodies. The satire continues with this passage as well. We think of life as beautiful, something to be cherished. Then Henry produces a phrase about how we are useful even after death, referring to the phosporus they collect from the bodies. Undoubtedly a sunset is inspirational; however, life is something to be celebrated and now the roles are flipped.