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Imagery In The Map Thief

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Writer, Michael Blanding, in his book, The Map Thief, conveys the gripping tale of a rare-map dealer, Forbes Smiley, who steals maps, incalculable to those of the world of cartography. Blanding reveals that this consuming conduct led to the destruction with not only his personal accords, but the entirety of his career. He contrasts the functionality of maps, as a source for navigation and as an expression of art, giving a new perspective to those unfamiliar of maps and Smiley’s infamous crime. With portraying a “map thief,” on the terms of such an objective realm, Blanding depicts the enticing and altering life of Smiley and the history of maps through the use of ironic descriptions, extensive foreshadowing, and appealing imagery. With the …show more content…

He provides much context as he wants his reader to visualize the maps as best as he does, as he also has a keen interest for their artistic work. Blanding first describes the maps as “lush and expansive” (pg 88), and then as a “one-of-a-kind work, similar to a painting” (pg 112). Making this comparison emphasizes the antithesis that lies between the functionality of maps. It reveals to the reader that the impact of the maps for these clients was immense. They treated them as art, as they are compared to paintings. Artwork such as paintings, primarily functioning to be displayed for their beauty. Since maps aren’t mainly acclaimed for this same reason, maps then become an easy steal. It also reveals why they were sold for masses amount of money due to its “one-of-a-kind work,” With the various details regarding the description of these maps, it can be inferred that since they were such a great deal not only to Smiley, but to the author himself, that maps are truly pieces of art. With the entirety of the book mainly focused on the scattered yet proficient Forbes Smiley, the emphasis of maps is enhanced due to its retrospect of its functionality: from a simple navigation tool to beautiful pieces of artwork worth

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