HYPERBOLE
A hyperbole
is an extreme exaggeration
used to make a point. It is like the opposite of “understatement”. They would
not be used in nonfiction works, like medical journals or research papers; but,
they are perfect for fictional works, especially to add color to a character or
humor to the story. Hyperbole are comparisons, like similes and metaphors, but are
extravagant and even ridiculous.
Some examples of hyperbole include:
- “I’ve told you a million times”
- “It was so cold, I saw polar bears wearing jackets”
- “She is so dumb, she thinks Taco Bell is a Mexican phone company”
Here are some common examples of
hyperbole:
- I am so hungry I could eat a horse.
- I have a million things to do.
- I had to walk 15 miles to school in the snow, uphill.
- I had a ton of homework.
- If I can’t buy that new game, I will die.
- He is as skinny as a toothpick.
- This car goes faster than the speed of light.
- That new car costs a bazillion dollars.
- We are so poor; we don’t have two cents to rub together.
- That joke is so old, the last time I heard it I was riding on a dinosaur.
- They ran like greased lightning.
- He's got tons of money.
- You could have knocked me over with a feather.
- Her brain is the size of a pea.
- He is older than the hills.
Function of Hyperbole
The
above arguments make clear the use of hyperbole. In our daily conversation, we
use hyperbole to emphasize for an amusing effect. When one thing is described with
an over-statement and the other thing is presented normally, a striking contrast is developed.
This technique is employed to catch the reader’s attention.
Related Terms
Related Terms
Simile
When using a simile, a writer compares two
different things using the words “like” or “as.” These words mean that the
items being compared are not exactly the same thing. Similarly, hyperboles can
emphasize a particular characteristic. However, Simile is different from
hyperbole in that it does not use exaggeration. A comparison may emphasize
features, but it does not exaggerate them to the same extent as hyperbole.
For example, “She is like a rose” is a simile
which compares a woman to a rose (a beautiful flower), meaning that the woman
as beautiful. This emphasizes her beauty, but it does not exaggerate it. An
example of hyperbole in the same situation is “She is the most beautiful woman
in the entire universe!”
Metaphor
Metaphor
Metaphor
and hyperbole are similar in that both devices state something literally while
they mean something figuratively. What makes hyperbole different from metaphor
is that it specifically exaggerates, whereas metaphor does not necessarily
exaggerate.
For example, a common metaphor is “He’s the black
sheep of our family.” We don’t literally mean that someone is a black sheep,
but the characteristics of the black sheep can be applied to the person. A
black sheep is unusual and may not be accepted by its herd. Just like the black
sheep, someone who is called a black sheep tends to be different from other
family members and perhaps lonely or isolated. This is not a hyperbole because
no characteristics of the person are being exaggerated. An example of hyperbole
in this situation would be “He has absolutely nothing in common with our
family!” We know that this can’t be true– All family members share DNA and
certainly there is shared ground somewhere, but we use hyperbole to emphasize
just how different this one family member is from the rest of his family.
