Picture This: How Pictures Work

“It isn’t huggable. Why not? Because it has points. It makes me feel stable. Why? It has a flat, wide, horizontal base. It gives a sense of equanimity, or balance, as well, because its three sides are equal.”

In this quote, Bang uses a series of rhetorical questions to engage the reader and encourage them to think critically about the relationship between shape and emotional response. The use of short, simple sentences creates a conversational tone, making the text more accessible and relatable. Bang also employs parallel structure in the phrases, “It isn’t huggable,” and, “It makes me feel stable,” emphasizing the contrast between the two emotional responses.

“What is red? Blood and fire. Ah. The feelings evoked in me by red all seem to be associated with these two things that have been red and only red ever since humans have been around to see them. Could the emotions brought by red be a mixture of my feelings about blood and fire? So far, they certainly seem to be.”

Bang begins this passage with a rhetorical question—“What is red?”—followed by a concise answer, “Blood and fire.” The interjection, “Ah,” suggests a moment of realization or epiphany, drawing the reader into her thought process. The repetition of “red” throughout the quote emphasizes the importance of this color in human experience and emotion. Bang uses a questioning tone to explore the connection between the color red and the primal elements of blood and fire, inviting the reader to consider their own associations with the color. The phrase “ever since humans have been around to see them” underscores the deep-rooted, universal nature of these associations.