When Metaphor turns into Hyperbole

As someone who tries to be a writer, I feel like one has two specific jobs: first to have the dedication to get your butt in the chair to actually do the writing, and second to use requisite imagination and vocabulary to make a killer story.

Unfortunately, most people fall into two categories, people who have it the whole package and have their ducks in a row (they're so fly too, they're all classy, ducks, with tuxedos and crap), and people like me, who only fulfill one of the jobs. I am a pantser. I get stuck in the chair and I flop around like a dead fish with opposable thumbs gripping my pen with absolute despair. I wait and hope to the dear sweet muses that they sing me a lovely song. And soon.

                             ( Pictured here: a sad song of dali; even muses have budgets)

The problem that can sometimes happen here is when you finally get to your chair and you finally get a lock on what you're writing about you get excited ... too excited. Your descriptions are huge and cumbersome like a granny on a forklift, charging forwards for black Friday sales your sentences are over wrought. You might just kill someone.

See a metaphor, thanks to our trusted friend Wikipedia can be defined as “ a type of analogy and is closely related to other rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via association, comparison or resemblance” that can be taken while not literally, as something that is closer to life .

“He's strong like an oak”. Yup, I get that he's not literally made out of an oak tree, but I know that his strength, while exaggerated could be preeety close to true.

But if we drag out our old friend Hyperbole, the sentence goes from “He's strong like an oak tree” to being “He's bulldozer strong with ten extra chainsaw arms and he breaths fire”.

 

You're a bit too excited.

 I know that's a lie. Hyperbole can be defined as a deliberate exaggeration for effect that is not meant to be taken literally, like not one bit. A pretty common example you might hear often is “God, my backpack weighs a freakin' ton”. Yeah, man I feel you, its a heavy bag. But you and I both know that it does not in fact weigh a ton. That's the effect of hyperbole. Metaphor can be subtle and evocative, and hyperbole can sneak around, but it usually does so with lead plated boots and stomps around. Its an attention sook like that.

So, when you're writing, watch out, and pay attention to what sorts of rhetoric you're using. Sometimes hyperbole is the delicious frosting details that can make the scene or set the mood. Or, on the other hand, if your metaphor sort of hulks out into an ungainly beast that distracts everyone from your writing you've gotta cut it out. Take a step back and ask if you're maybe going a bit far.