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
Chapter 13
Explanation and Analysis—Whittled Down:
In Chapter 13 of The Nightingale, Isabelle begins to notice how malnutrition and war-related trauma have physically impacted Vianne. Vianne looks different compared to the last time the two sisters spent time together, and Hannah represents this contrast with a hyperbole:
Vianne wore a faded blue gingham day dress that had been grayed by harsh homemade soap. Hunger had whittled her down over the winter, sharpened her cheekbones and deepened the hollow at the base of her throat.
In the passage above, the hyperbole “hunger had whittled her down” is not literal, but an exaggerated representation of Vianne's weight loss. However, it figuratively represents how hunger chips away at Vianne’s once-full features, leaving her with a gaunt and exhausted appearance. Readers learn that Vianne often skips meals to save food for her children, a tragic maternal sacrifice which, in turn, affects Vianne's health. She cannot protect her children if on the brink of starvation herself, but Vianne can think of no other option. Isabelle recognizes this desperation when she sees Vianne, a development that Hannah heightens with the use of hyperbole. This figurative language also indicates how food and nutrition become weapons during times of war. Vianne—and any others who experience starvation and malnutrition at the hands of the Nazis—become less capable of resisting occupation, making the oppressing force stronger.
Related Themes:
