You will have your own experience allowing your mind to produce pictures drawn and painted by the words I use. My laborious task is choosing the words that I think will cause your experience with my words to be most similar to my experience with the ocean scene. Denotatively speaking, we will both picture sand and a huge body of water. Connotatively speaking, we will both see something completely different. Because of our differing frames of reference.
Words have an incredible ability to conjure emotion as well.
Imagine yourself reading the newspaper and glancing at the obituaries. Smith . . . A sinking feeling takes over your stomach. It seems she died last night when her brain exploded from writing this exploratory essay for Dr. Williams. I think I have made my point.