Look of A Dog That Has Been Beaten (Visual Imagery)
Upon returning to his home island, Salvatore learns his fiancée has broken their engagement because she does not believe a disabled man can provide for her. Despite his devastation, Salvatore accepts her decision with humility. Maugham writes: "His smile was very sad and his eyes had the look of a dog that has been beaten." In this example of visual imagery, Maugham captures the mix of sorrow and resignation Salvatore feels by contrasting his smile with the punished look in his eyes.
Kindly Eyes (Visual Imagery)
When describing Salvatore's new life with his wife Assunta, Maugham writes that Salvatore has become "a great, big husky fellow, tall and broad, but still with that ingenuous smile and those trusting, kindly eyes that he had as a boy." In this example of visual imagery, Maugham juxtaposes Salvatore's adult body with his childlike face to emphasize how he retains his youthful innocence despite his age.
Noisy Cities, Silent Paths (Auditory Imagery)
When detailing Salvatore's misery at having to leave his home island to serve in the navy, Maugham writes that he would "walk in noisy, friendless cities with streets so crowded that he was frightened to cross them, when he had been used to silent paths and the mountains and the sea." In this example of auditory imagery, Maugham contrasts the silence of Salvatore's home island with the cacophony of foreign cities to emphasize the sensory overload Salvatore experiences in unfamiliar places.
