Previous
Genre
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—Love and Marriage:
When Mr. Shi finds out that his daughter was the one who initiated the divorce, he strongly disapproves of her decision. He questions what went wrong in his daughter's marriage besides her affair. His disapproval is shown in the use of a hyperbole:
"One night of being husband and wife in bed makes them in love for a hundred days. You were married for seven years! How could you do this to your husband? What was the problem, anyway, besides your little extramarital affair?" Mr. Shi says. A disloyal woman is the last thing he raised his daughter to be.
One major cultural difference between Mr. Shi and his daughter is their view on marriage. Mr. Shi believes that one should always remain with their spouse, while his daughter believes differently. Mr. Shi's hyperbole comes from a traditional Chinese view on marriage, which sees love as a physical connection between people. The hyperbolic saying suggests that a single night of marital intimacy bonds a couple for a hundred days—a clear poetic exaggeration. Thus, he believes that his daughter and son-in-law must have had a happy marriage if they were together for seven years. He cannot see why his daughter wants a divorce after being married for so long.
In contrast, Mr. Shi's daughter believes in a love filled with communication. She prioritizes this over loyalty and physical touch, something that Mr. Shi does not understand right away. It is only when Mr. Shi reflects on his past relationship with Yilan that he recognizes his emotional affair. His realization gives him another understanding of what love can be. Further, it diminishes the weight that he had placed on being loyal. In his reflection on the past, he recognizes that he was disloyal to his wife, even if he never cheated on his wife physically.
Related Themes:
