Glowed like flat copper stones (Visual Imagery)
Ivan describes the pennies that children toss into the performing seal's pond as glowing like flat copper stones. This visual imagery underscores how objects from the human world appear different to animals: in a natural environment free of currency, Ivan and the seal would understand the pennies to be stones.
Odd, not-food smell (Olfactory Imagery)
In an example of olfactory imagery, Ivan describes the scent of Julia's finger paints as bearing an odd, not-food smell. With few reference points other than food, Ivan doesn't know what to make of the chemical scent of the paint, but he understands he isn't meant to eat it.
Glow like jungle flowers (Visual Imagery)
After Ivan takes to finger painting, he reflects that the paint stuck to his fingers glows like jungle flowers—a reference he draws up from deep in his memory of living in the wild. The image is particularly apt, because his painting is bringing him closer to life lived outside.
Soundless as the wet wings of a new butterfly (Auditory Imagery)
Ivan reflects that visitors at the mall often beat their chests in imitation of him. However, the children's chest-beating produces no sound. Using an auditory image to underscore the silence and gentleness, Ivan compares their chest-beating to the soundless flight of a butterfly fresh from its cocoon.
