Imagery In Seed By Lisa Heathfield

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Recommended: Essays on sexual abuse

Seed by Lisa Heathfield is set in a cult or “a small community where they worship Nature and idolise their leader, Papa S”. The novel follows the journey of a 15 year old girl named Pearl who had been born and raised in Seed. Mental and sexual abuse is a continuous, recurring subject throughout this story. Heathfield’s representation of this theme is shown through a strong and unsettling use of imagery and the nature setting. Heathfield highlights to us the danger of being so metaphorically blinded by a person in power that you cannot see the abuse which is happening in front of you. Pearl had always believed being Papa S’s companion was an honour, when really becoming his companion meant sexual expectations and abuse. “‘You’re on your way …show more content…

For example, when one of Papa S’s companions enters the room with him they look unsettled or upset- and also with the Kindreds. Kate had always left sentences on empty notes, making the audience reading take note on how small she feels, how angry, upset and violated. By Heathfield making the readers feel what the characters in Seed felt at these times takes the imagery technique used to a whole different level. When reading this book and seeing how the characters were abused and mistreated made you feel disgusted and uncomfortable, which Heathfield most likely wanted for the reader to get the point …show more content…

For example, when Papa S lured Pearl in his chambers he said “‘We must listen to Nature. Sometimes we must do things that we are unsure of. But they are always what Nature wants, they are always good.’” (PAGE 236). Papa S uses mental abuse to make the victim rethink their choices over time, to think lowly of themselves and make themselves vulnerable to his next actions.Manipulation is also another way he uses mental abuse to make his victims do what he wants. “‘Pearl admit you have done wrong,’ his voice says from beside me, above me, below me. ‘You are wicked. You must admit it to cleanse your soul.’” (PAGE 91)Papa S starts to suspect Pearl changing towards Ellis as he becomes more comfortable at Seed which leads Papa S to confront her a few times using nature as a reasoning behind the confrontation and mental abuse such as, “‘The bees stung you for a reason,’ he eventually says. ‘They were trying to stab away the rotten core that’s growing within you.’” (PAGE 175) and “The screams came from your bones. This time it was Nature calling you, because you have displeased her” (PAGE

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