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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 10
Explanation and Analysis—Ancient Machine:
Throughout the novel, Demon frequently employs hyperbole to comedic effect in his narration. In one such instance, he exaggerates the age of a tractor used on Creaky Farm:
Time went by, and promises were kept. First, the hay. Creaky did the mowing on his tractor while we were at school. Then came baling, with his tractor pulling this ancient baler machine that kept breaking down every fifty feet. It would make a hellacious grinding noise, and every single time in his raspy voice he’d yell: “Goddamn piece of Tazewell shit!” He must have bought it from somebody over there, while the dinosaurs still roamed in Tazewell County. He’d have to stop and shut everything down.
After his mother’s overdose, Demon is sent to live with the unsympathetic Mr. Crickson, nicknamed “Creaky,” who exploits the labor of foster-children. Demon is deeply unhappy at Creaky Farm and eagerly anticipates his mother’s recovery so that he can return home. While harvesting crops, Mr. Crickson uses an “ancient baler machine,” or a machine that compresses hay into contact bales. Here, Demon uses hyperbole, claiming that Mr. Crickson must have bought the baler “while dinosaurs still roamed in Tazewell County.” Exaggerating the age of the machine, Demon underscores the limitations of Mr. Crickson’s farm equipment. Like many other farmers in the region, Mr. Crickson is barely making ends meet, working hard to avoid foreclosure. Ultimately, his farm is foreclosed and sold after Child Protective Services bars Mr. Crickson from fostering more children.
Related Themes:
Chapter 37
Explanation and Analysis—Ghosts:
When recounting a trip he took with Angus to the home of Betsy Woodall, Demon uses similes, metaphor, and hyperbole:
Angus jumped out of the car with a big smile, walking all around with her hand clamped on her hat like she’s in shock, and it might fly off. Looking at things outside the house, inside the house, like this happy big-eyed fairy in a white T-shirt and leather vest, saying, Oh, I remember this! Which I’m sure she did, since nothing probably had changed in that house since God was a child. I hadn’t really thought before about the place being special to her, like seeing my dad’s grave was to me [...] A dead parent is a tricky kind of ghost.
Though Demon thinks of Betsy's home as a somewhat uncomfortable and formal environment, Angus looks upon it fondly, as she associates it with her mother, who was raised by Betsy. Using similes, he describes Angus as holding onto her hat "like she's in shock, and it might fly off" and as appearing "like this happy big-eyed fairy in a white T-shirt." These similes underscore the importance that the house holds for Angus, who feels connected to her late mother while there. Demon hyperbolically suggests that nothing in the house has changed "since God was a child," reflecting his perception of Betsy's home as antiquated and somewhat stifling. Nevertheless, he understands Angus's attitude, as "a dead parent is a tricky kind of ghost." This metaphor reflects Demon's own complex feelings regarding his mother and underscores the ongoing impact that grief has had on his life.
