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Definition of Hyperbole
Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis. Hyperbolic statements are usually quite obvious exaggerations intended to emphasize a point... read full definition
Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis. Hyperbolic statements are usually quite obvious exaggerations... read full definition
Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis. Hyperbolic statements... read full definition
Hyperbole
Explanation and Analysis—Snake Bite:
When describing the Misfit’s reaction to the grandmother telling him that he is “one of [her] babies,” the narrator uses a hyperbole, as seen in the following passage:
She saw the man’s face twisted close to her own as if he were going to cry and she murmured, “Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children!” She reached out and touched him on the shoulder. The Misfit sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest.
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Explanation and Analysis—The Children's Tantrums:
During the family road trip, the grandmother tries to convince a disgruntled Bailey to stop at a plantation she once visited as a kid, persuading his kids June Star and John Wesley to join her side by telling them romantic stories about the old house. After Bailey says no, O’Connor describes the children’s tantrums using hyperbolic language, as seen in the following passage:
Unlock with LitCharts A+John Wesley kicked the back of the front seat and June Star hung over her mother’s shoulder and whined desperately into her ear that they never had any fun even on their vacation, that they could never do what THEY wanted to do. The baby began to scream and John Wesley kicked the back of the seat so hard that his father could feel the blows in his kidney.
Related Themes:
