hyperbole |hīˈpəәrbəәlē|exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

simile |ˈsiməәlē|a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid

Beowulf uses simile and hyperbole prolifically (it uses it a lot). This starts early in the story, especially with the description of Scyld. We can find similes by finding a comparison using “like” or “as” (i.e. “Mr. Ankeny ran like a cheetah.”). We can find hyperbole when something sounds so incredible it probably isn’t true (i.e. “Mr. Ankeny was so strong he lifted the portable.”). In a folk epic, this happens a lot. The characters are larger than life. This makes the writing more vivid and interesting, and it is something we should imitate in our own writing.

PART 1 (3 pts): From the adjacent paragraph, find 3 similes and 3 uses of hyperbole.

Simile:Simile:Simile:Hyperbole:Hyperbole:Hyperbole:

PART 2 (3 pts.): Now, convert the following non-exaggerated paragraph into an “epic” one. On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the paragraph using at least 3 similes and 4 cases of hyperbole. Make the paragraph larger than life.

John was a tall boy. He had muscles. When he was hungry, he would eat a lot of food and drink a lot of Gatorade. He was a good athlete. He played football and was the best player. Some people respected him as a leader. Once, he won a game by making an important touchdown. The crowd clapped. Everyone celebrated John’s accomplishment. John was a hero.

PART 3 (4 pts.): Finally, create an exaggerated description of yourself. Choose things that you are good at and exaggerate them using similes and metaphors. Make yourself larger than life. This should be a full paragraph, 6-8 sentences long.

STAPLE YOUR SEPARATE SHEET WITH PART 2 and PART 3 TO THIS PAPER.

Name: ____________________