Hyperboles
Read and think
He could shoot a bumblebee in the eye at sixty paces, and he was a man who was not afraid to shake hands with lightning.
Harold W. Felton, Pecos Bill and the Mustang
1. Hyperbole is an exaggeration that is based on truth but carried the truth to such an extreme that it is no longer literally true. What is the purpose of telling the
reader that Pecos Bill could do those things?
2. Compare Felton's sentence with this one:
He could shoot very well, and he was not afraid of anything.
Which sentence better helps the reader understand what Pecos Bill is like? Why?
3. Write a sentence about a great/talented (athlete/celerity/singer), using hyperboles. Model your sentence after Felton's sentence.
