Imaginative_Journeys

Related Texts Writing Folio Daniel Schacher Imaginative journeys can be taken through the imagination of an individual as they explore, reflect and fuse together the seemingly intangible with reality. Imaginative journeys may draw on previous experiences and understandings but move beyond these limited ideas into more assumed or strange realms. Another way of viewing an imaginative journey is its capacity to draw responders into a fictional, speculative setting. Imaginative journeys that will be elaborated below are “The Ivory Trail” book cover, the two Coleridge poems “This Lime Tree Bower My Prison” and “Kubla Khan” and the poetic text “Ode on a Grecian Urn” composed by John Keats. The composers attempt to create a world in which imagination dominates the perceptions and views of the responders, as they are taken on an imaginary journey of discovery and magic. The Ivory Trail “The Ivory Trail” by Victor Kelleher was first published in Australia in 1996 by Viking Press. “The Ivory Trail” follows the story of Jamie Hassan who is coming of age in a traditional bohemian family. After receiving an ivory carving he is sent on journeys through time in order to find his spiritual guide. The book cover- “The Ivory Trail” represents that the individual may encounter new horizons by realising the limitless power of the imagination. The visual text explores the concept of imaginative journeys by transporting the reader to an abnormal location where the composer challenges the dominant views that life has set certainties and journeys have ends. This text would be aimed at an audience ranged from sixteen to twenty as it portrays an imaginative journey, which would be interesting and also relevant to this age group. The idea of a rare journey is evoked through symbolism in the title: “The Ivory Trail”. Ivory is symbolic of the rare material from tusks of elephants and is known for its illegal trade. This exotic and rare allusion also evokes feelings of intrigue and mystery, which gives an impression for the readers that this text is an imaginative journey. The use of dominant colours of red, black and orange and the use of shadows depict an atmosphere of fear, passion and threat. The setting sun creates a peaceful and serene mood, possibly hinting at a positive resolution at the closing stages of the journey or symbolically representing a new dawn. Through the use of techniques there is an acceptance by the readers of the imagination to present infinite possibilities as they encounter this journey. The Ivory Trail is a visual text which incorporates language and visual techniques to portray that an imaginative journey is only limited by ones capacity to imagine and that through imagination one can experience infinite possibilities. The two Coleridge poems are similar since the poet in both cases employs conversational language in order to allow the responders to engage and enter the imaginative realm of his journey. The two Coleridge poems and the poetic text Ode on a Grecian urn extensively use imagery in their quest to allow the responder to engage in the journey. Through the use of imagination the responder is able to grasp the central message of the poem whether being on the issues of mortality, nature or perfection.