How does Alicia Appleman-Jurman use imagery in Alicia?

Imagery:

"How can one describe the death march of what seemed to be a sea of men, women, and children? We were defenseless, demoralized people being pushed, hit, and even killed by the Germans and Ukrainians, who were driving us to some unknown destination"

"I remember passing our once-beautiful large synagogue, which had not been used for many years now, and seeing a woman leaning against the wall wailing, just crying out in agony. She looked to me like a branch dismembered from a tree, an arm without a body, and filled with grief, a bleeding heart, a walking tragedy."