DE'WAYNE SIMPSON... FULL-TIME ACCESS


FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Hyperbole

 

Figurative language is way of saying things in a more creative way than you normally would.  Figurative language is not meant to be taken literally, meaning it is not meant to be taken word-for-word.  It is meant to get your attention and be memorable, but you must figure out what the speaker/writer is trying to say or imply.  You must figure out what that person means, the point that the person is trying to make.  There are several different popular forms of figurative language.  Some of these are…

  

  • Similes
  • Metaphors
  • Hyperbole
  • Personification
  • Onomatopoeia
  • Idioms
  • Imagery

 

A hyperbole is an overly exaggerated statement.  Sometimes a writer will make a statement that is obviously false, often impossible.  It is exaggerated beyond belief in order to emphasize a point to the reader.  Read the following poem and look for examples of hyperbole in use.

 

A MILLION AND ONE ...AND ONE MORE

 i ran a million miles

and i'm right back where i began

i've been knocked down a million times

yet and still, here i stand

i've failed a million times

but i started over again

i've lost a million times

but won't stop until i win

 

The poet has intended for the reader of this poem to be motivated or inspired by his words.  His purpose is to convince readers to keep trying until they succeed, even when they begin to believe it is pointless.  He does this through the use of hyperbole.

There are four hyperboles in this poem:

  • I ran a million miles... Chances are, the speaker of the poem has not run a million miles, but by saying this, we understand that he has run a long way and still doesn't feel like he's gone anywhere.
  • I've been knocked down a million times... Well, similar to the first example, the speaker has probably not been knocked down a million times, but we see that he's been knocked down many times.  Even though he gets knocked down, he doesn't stay down.
  • I've failed a million times... The reader is not expected to believe that the speaker has failed a million times.  It's not meant to be taken literally.  The speaker just wants you to know that he's failed over and over again.  After each failure, however, he starts over again.
  • I've lost a million times... By now, you should know the answer before I say it.  This hyperbole is meant to show you that the reader has lost several times, maybe even every time, but he has not stopped trying.  He refuses to stop trying, an attitude we should all have.

Look at the following lines taken from various Lil’ Wayne verses.  See if you can understand why they are hyperboles.

  1. “I'm brighter that a sunray”
  2. “I'm so sharp that if you touch me you'll cut your finger”
  3. “I'm first, second and third”
  4. “I drop a carload in the mall on the first date”
  5. “I'm on a paper chase until my toes bleed"
  6. “I'm sittin' sideways”
  7. “I could uppercut all y'all”
  8. “If I'm wrong, there is no right”
  9. "I got the heart of the biggest lion"
  10. "Drag me through the mud, I come out clean"  

Now that you have learned about hyperbole and you have reviewed several examples of it, see if you can write some of your own.  Try to write five original hyperboles.  HINT: they are often used when people brag about their accomplishments.

Make a Free Website with Yola.