How does Ernest Hemingway use imagery in In Our Time?

Imagery:

The Greeks were nice chaps too. When they evacuated they had all their baggage animals they couldn't take off with them so they just broke their forelegs and dumped them into the shallow water. All those mules with their forelegs broken pushed over into the shallow water.

Nick sat against the wall of the church where they had dragged him to be clear of machine-gun fire in the street. Both legs stuck our awkwardly. He had been hit in the spine.