Imagery In 'Nightmare' From Out Of The Dust

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In “Nightmare” from Out of the Dust, Billie Joe wakes up from a nightmare, trembling in fear from a nightmare about the dust storms and her inability to play the piano. The poem is filled with symbolism, used to build up anxiety and uncertainty, and for Hesse to elaborate on her thoughts. “Through a howling dust storm, my lowered face was scrubbed raw by dirt and wind” dramatically demonstrates a mood of panic and distress. As the suspense builds, Hesse uses imagery to exhibit uneasiness and describe the situation even further, “dust crept inside my ears, up my nose, down my throat.” Many instances of figures of speech are used, such as similes, personification, and metaphors. After trudging through the dust, not caring about anything but

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