In Jonathan Safran Foer's "Everything Is Illuminated," the imagery evokes a sense of timelessness and sorrow. The horse resting at the river's bottom embodies a stillness, reflecting deep emotion under the vast night sky. Its closed eyes suggest a peaceful resignation, hinting at themes of loss and the weight of memory.

Similarly, the ant captured in amber represents the burden of history, frozen in time since ancient times. Its shameful pose, hiding its head, speaks to a loss of self or identity, resonating with the book's exploration of the past's impact on the present. Together, these images convey profound reflections on existence and the shadows of history.