Mine
The mine is described as being "abandoned in the eighties" and being filled with "empty bottles of bleach and oil filters in a box, and brown paper bags labeled 'Anionic Polymer'". These details create a sense of abandonment and neglect. There is also a description of a "small metal machine that resembled a torture device" and "white helmets hanging on the wall just like skulls". These images give the sense that a mine is a dangerous place, filled with eerie and mysterious objects. The description of the hand Izzy finds is also highly evocative. It is described as "easily recognizable, even with the flesh and skin eroded away" and having "a silver ring still clinging to one finger". This imagery helps to create a sense of horror and mystery, as the reader is left to imagine the person to whom the hand belonged and what happened to them. The hand emphasizes the danger Izzy is in, as she is exploring a place where something terrible happened.
Salvation Mountain
The imagery of fabric is used to conjure up the image of a quilt, with its many colored patches and pieces of fabric stitched together to form a larger work of art. The tourists, with their mini dresses, silk flower crowns, and flip-flops, serve to further highlight the colorful and vibrant environment of the mountain. The images of the older white woman with a sweet smile, the Mexican woman with a wrinkle-stitched face, the Asian man in a suit, the high school girl with blonde hair, and the young, bearded hiker all create a vivid picture of the shrine in the grotto where people can place pictures of their loved ones who have passed away. Finally, the imagery of the tiki heads with their carved-out humanoid eyes staring at Izzy from the depths of the makeshift structure creates a sense of creepy mystery and danger as Izzy looks for Larry. All of these images combined create a potent picture of the environment in which Izzy finds herself.
Womb
The imagery of a womb is used to discuss the idea of needing to leave a safe, enclosed space to search for oneself. The description is used to convey the idea that staying in a safe, comfortable state can be detrimental and can lead to stagnation, both psychologically and spiritually. This is emphasized by Sky's use of the phrase "if we never leave the womb, it becomes a tomb" which suggests that if we remain in this safe space, it can become a place of death and stagnation. The imagery of the womb is used to suggest that leaving this state of safety can be difficult and frightening, but necessary for growth and progress. The imagery of the womb is thus used to emphasize the idea of needing to leave one's comfort zone to grow and develop.
Perigee Moon
The imagery of a "weighty and white perigee moon" is used to accentuate the danger that Izzy is facing. The imagery of the moon is used to show how the darkness of the night is increasing, and the weighty nature of the moon suggests that Izzy is under immense pressure to find her missing friend. The descriptions of the moon also suggest that Izzy is feeling isolated and alone in her search and that she is afraid of what may lie ahead. The presence of the moon is a reminder to Izzy of her vulnerability in such a dark and mysterious place. This imagery conveys a sense of danger and foreboding and is a warning to Izzy to be careful in her search for her missing friend.
