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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
Chapter 37
Explanation and Analysis—Relationships:
In the following excerpt from Chapter 37, Jordan reflects on his present circumstances. He states that a number of people, all of whom he's known for only four days, are his closest friends and family. In doing so, both Hemingway and Jordan utilize hyperbolic language:
I have been all my life in these hills since I have been here. Anselmo is my oldest friend. I know
him better than I know Charles, than I know Chub, than I know Guy, than I know Mike, and I know them well. Agustin, with his vile mouth, is my brother, and I never had a brother. Maria is my
true love and my wife. I never had a true love. I never had a wife.
This passage serves as a clear instance of overstatement. None of these people have known Jordan for very long, and he cannot reasonably claim they are his oldest friends. Despite this, the tumult of recent events and the trauma Jordan shares with his comrades cannot help but facilitate closeness. The present is immediate and eternal when time is short, and the strength of the relationships Jordan forms under duress is unquestionable. When a person knows that his time is limited, he cannot help but cling to those relationships that may be his last.
Related Themes:
