What Are 10 of the Greatest Hyperboles

Are these really the greatest hyperboles of all time? We could lie (hyperbolically, of course) and say Absolutely! But sooner or later youd realize that even the title of this article illustrates the classical figure of exaggeration.Although we may not have found the greatest examples of hyperbole (whos to judge?), we have collected 10 passages from stories, poems, essays, speeches and comedy routines that should help you understand some of the ways in which hyperbole can be used to catch a readers attention by dramatizing ideas and conveying strong emotions. Hyperbole and Surpassing of the Truth Critic Stephen Webb once described hyperbole as the poor relation of the tropes family, treated like a distant relative whose family ties are questionable at best. Poor, distant, questionable—and juvenile to boot. Hyperboles are for young men to use, Aristotle said thousands of years ago. They show vehemence of character, and this is why angry people use them more than other people. The Roman rhetorician Quintilian held a more sympathetic view. Hyperbole isnt a deceitful lie, he insisted, but rather an elegant surpassing of the truth: Hyperbole lies, but not so as to intend to deceive by lying.   . . . It is in common use, as much among the unlearned as among the learned; because there is in all men a natural propensity to magnify or extenuate what comes before them, and no one is contented with the exact truth. But such departure from the truth is pardoned, because we do not affirm what is false. In a word, the hyperbole is a beauty, when the thing itself, of which we have to speak, is in its nature extraordinary; for we are then allowed to say a little more than the truth, because the exact truth cannot be said; and language is more efficient when it goes beyond reality than when it stops short of it.  (Institutes of Oratory, circa A.D. 95) Or in the words of the philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca, hyperbole asserts the incredible in order to arrive at the credible (On Benefits, 1887 ed.). Outlandish Figures of Speech In defense of hyperbole as a forceful figure of speech, we offer these 10 examples of the trope at its best—imaginative, insightful and appropriately outlandish: Monty Python on being poorMichael Palin: You were lucky. We lived for three months in a brown paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six oclock in the morning, clean the bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down mill for 14 hours a day week in, week out. When we got home, our Dad would thrash us to sleep with his belt!Graham Chapman: Luxury. We used to have to get out of the lake at three oclock in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of hot gravel, go to work at the mill every day for tuppence a month, come home, and Dad would beat us around the head and neck with a broken bottle, if we were lucky!Terry Gilliam: Well we had it tough. We used to have to get up out of the shoebox at 12 oclock at night and lick the road clean with our tongues. We had half a handful of freezing cold gravel, worked 24 hours a day at the mill for fourpence every six years, and when we got home, our Dad would slice us in two with a bread knife.Eric Idle: I had to get up in th e morning at 10 oclock at night, half an hour before I went to bed, eat a lump of cold poison, work 29 hours a day down mill, and pay mill owner for permission to come to work, and when we got home, our Dad would kill us, and dance about on our graves singing Hallelujah.Michael Palin: But you try and tell the young people today that, and they wont believe ya.All: Nope, nope.  (Monty Python, Four Yorkshiremen, 1974)John Kennedy on Thomas Jefferson  I think this is the most extraordinary collection of human talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House--with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone. (President John F. Kennedy at a White House dinner honoring 49 Nobel Prize winners, April 29, 1962)Paul Bunyans Winter  Well now, one winter it was so cold that all the geese flew backward and all the fish moved south and even the snow turned blue. Late at night, it got so frigid that all spoken words froze solid afore they could be hea rd. People had to wait until sunup to find out what folks were talking about the night before. (Opening of the American folktale [or fakelore, as its sometimes called] Babe the Blue Ox)Hume on Self-Interest  Tis not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger. (David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature, 1739)Mà ¡rquez on Rain  At that time Bogota was a remote, lugubrious city where an insomniac rain had been falling since the beginning of the 16th century. (Gabriel Garcia Mà ¡rquez, Living to Tell the Tale, 2003)Mencken on the American South  It is, indeed, amazing to contemplate so vast a vacuity. One thinks of the interstellar spaces, of the colossal reaches of the now mythical ether. Nearly the whole of Europe could be lost in that stupendous region of fat farms, shoddy cities, and paralyzed cerebrums: one could throw in France, Germany, and Italy, and still, have room for the British Isles. And yet, for all its size and all its wealth and all the progress it babbles of, it is almost as sterile, artistically, intellectually, culturally, as the Sahara Desert. (H.L. Mencken, The Sahara of the Bozart, 1917)Marvell on Courtship  Had we but world enough, and time,This coyness, lady, were no crime.We would sit down and think which wayTo walk, and pass our long love’s day;Thou by the Indian Ganges’ sideShouldst rubies find; I by the tideOf Humber would complain. I wouldLove you ten years before the Flood;And you should, if you please, refuseTill the conversion of the Jews.My vegetable love should growVaster than empires, and more slow.An hundred years should go to praiseThine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze;Two hundred to adore each breast,But thirty thousand to the rest;An age at least to every part,And the last age should show your heart.For, lady, you deserve this state,Nor would I love at lower rate.(Andrew Marvell, To His Coy Mistress, 1650s)Burns on Love  As fair art thou, my bonnie las s,So deep in luve am I;And I will love thee still, my dear,Till a the seas gang dry.Till a the seas gang dry, my dear,And the rocks melt wi the sun:O I will love thee still, my dear,While the sands o life shall run.(Robert Burns, A Red, Red Rose, 1788)Auden on Endless LoveIll love you, dear, Ill love youTill China and Africa meet,And the river jumps over the mountainAnd the salmon sing in the street.Ill love you till the oceanIs folded and hung up to dryAnd the seven stars go squawkingLike geese about the sky.(W.H. Auden, As I Walked Out One Evening, 1935)Tom Robbins on Playing the Violin  Play for us, you big wild gypsy girl, you who look as if you might have spent the morning digging potatoes on the steppes of Russia; you who surely galloped in on a snorting mare, bareback or standing in the saddle; you whose chicory tresses reek of bonfire and jasmine; you who traded a dagger for a bow; grab your violin as if it were a stolen chicken, roll your perpetually startled eyes at it, scold it with that split beet dumpling you call a mouth; fidget, fuss, flounce, flick, fume–and fiddle; fiddle us through the roof, fiddle us over the moon, higher than rock ‘n’ roll can fly; saw those strings as if they were the log of the century, fill the hall with the ozone of your passion; play Mendelssohn for us, play Brahms and Bruch; get them drunk, dance with them, wound them, and then nurse their wounds, like the eternal female that you are; play until the cherries burst in the orchard, play until wolves chase their tails in the tearooms; play until we forget how we long to tumble with you in the flower beds under Chekhov’s window; play, you big wild gypsy girl, until beauty and wildness and longing are one. (Tom Robbins, â€Å"Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg,† 2005)

The Walt Disney Company - 3626 Words

Behind the Scenes of Disney World by Erin Wood Advanced English III Mrs. Dawson 4 March 2014 Behind the Scenes of Disney World I. Introduction II. Walt Disney A. His Life B. The Dream III. Disney World’s ground A. Swamp lands B. Four theme parks 1. Magic Kingdom a. Main Street i. Underground tunnel ii. Walt’s hometown b. Frontier Land c. Fantasy Land d. Adventure Land e. Tomorrow Land 2. Hollywood Studios a. Old Hollywood b. Musicals/plays 3. Epcot a. The World b. Science/future 4. Animal Kingdom C. Two water parks 1. Blizzard Beach 2. Typhoon Lagoon D. Maintenance/clean parks 1. Trash can placing 2. No gum sold E. Room for growth F. Celebration a. Owned by†¦show more content†¦His worldwide popularity was based upon the ideals which his name represents: imagination, optimism, creation, and self-made success in the American tradition. Walt Disney did more to touch the hearts, minds, and emotions of millions of Americans than any other person in the past century. Through his work he brought joy, happiness, and a universal means of communication to the people of every nation. He brought us closer to the future, while telling us of the past, it is certain, that there will never be such as great a man, as Walt Disney† (Brad Aldridge Productions). Walt Disney is one in a million. He worked hard to achieve his goals and dreams. The swamp lands of Orlando, Florida seemed like useless space to the common eye, but to Walt Disney it was the perfect place for an enchanting kingdom. â€Å"Turning Florida’s swamp land into a Magic Kingdom was nothing short of a miracle† (Behind the Scenes). Disney slowly started purchasing small sections of the land a little at a time. His top Imagineers helped with the purchasing of the land in order to keep the new park a secret. â€Å"It was one of the world’s largest private construction projects. He had enough land and space to make and grow on whatever he wanted† (Behind the Scenes). Walt’s imagination saw worthless swamp land, as a place worthy for his next amusement park. Walt once said, â€Å"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing† (Brad Aldridge Productions). And thisShow MoreRelatedWalt Disney And The Disney Company Essay1236 Words   |  5 Pages1923 by animator Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney, the Walt Disney Company is an â€Å"American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate†; whose media companies include the Disney Channel, ABC, ESPN, and AE. Furthermore, they receive revenue from their various theme parks and resorts located around the world, the sale of merchandise related to their various media projects, and their mergers and acquisitions. Notably with Pixar, Marvel, and LucasFilm Ltd. 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Casting Crowns - The Altar and the Door free essay sample

For a number of music lovers, Casting Crowns seems to be one of the first (if not one of the greatest) bands to come to mind regarding the contemporary Christian genre. Their new album, The Altar and the Door, makes sacrifices in terms of sound and song structure, but proves how the bands lyrical talent has evolved over the years. The album opens with the explosive â€Å"What this World Needs.† Sporting a hard rock guitar riff and heavy drums and bass-this song may very well be the most upbeat that they have ever recorded. Unfortunately, it is probably the only song on the album that will really leave you bobbing your head from beginning to end. Thats not to say that the rest of the album is forgettable. In fact, it wouldnt be surprising to hear â€Å"Somewhere in the Middle† and â€Å"The World is Alive† on 104.7 The Fish or J-93. We will write a custom essay sample on Casting Crowns The Altar and the Door or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 3 in the near future. The piano and viola work on these songs are beautiful and Mark Halls voice reaches out inspiringly at every chorus. Other songs, such as â€Å"Every Man†, dont have as much of a conventional â€Å"praise† feel, but fans will appreciate Casting Crowns newfound mellow vibe on a majority of the tracks. Listening to the songs without showing regard to their lyrics would be like not listening to them at all. Every song practically tells a story and portrays a biblical theme. â€Å"East to West,† questions the ‘distance between wrong and right, and â€Å"Prayer for a Friend† tells of a persons misguided companion who needs Gods assistance. (Lord, I lift my friend to you / Ive done all that I know to do.†) Overall, the minor flaws are outweighed by the sheer value of the Christian messages present in every song. Newcomers may feel a bit hungry for the bands older material, but the group has certainly made a step forward in many important aspects. Casting Crowns - The Altar and the Door free essay sample For a number of music lovers, Casting Crowns is the first (if not the greatest) contemporary Christian band that comes to mind. Their new album, â€Å"The Altar and the Door,† makes sacrifices in terms of sound and song structure, but proves how the band’s lyrical talent has evolved over the years. The album opens with the explosive â€Å"What This World Needs.† Sporting a hard rock guitar riff and heavy drums and bass, this song may very well be their most upbeat. Unfortunately, it is probably the only song on the album that will make you bob your head from beginning to end. That’s not to say that the rest of the album is forgettable. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear â€Å"Somewhere in the Middle† and â€Å"The World Is Alive† on pop stations in the near future. The piano and viola in these songs are beautiful and Mark Hall’s voice reaches out inspiringly at every chorus. We will write a custom essay sample on Casting Crowns The Altar and the Door or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Other songs, like â€Å"Every Man,† don’t have as much of a conventional praise feeling, but fans will appreciate Casting Crown’s newfound mellow vibe. Listening to the songs without comprehending the lyrics would be like not listening to them at all. Every song tells a story that portrays a biblical theme. â€Å"East to West† questions the distance between right and wrong, and â€Å"Prayer for a Friend† tells of a person’s misguided companion who needs God’s assistance (Lord, I lift my friend to You/I’ve done all that I know to do). Overall, the minor flaws are outweighed by the valuable Christian messages. Newcomers may feel a bit hungry for the band’s older material, but the group has certainly made a step forward in many important areas.

The Moon Is Down The Effects Of War Essays - The Moon Is Down

The Moon is Down: The Effects of War War effects everyone involved. The conquerors and those being conquered. War is a struggle that is internal and external. Man can be a dedicated and loyal soldier for only so much at a time. He then longs for laughter, music, girls, a good meal and more. In The Moon is Down, the soldiers get the need to return home. They begin to doubt what they are doing and if they are being told the truth. They become uneasy when the enemy doesn't talk to them. The townspeople's hatred is growing. They remained indoors and stared from behind curtains while the patrol walked through the town. Lieutenant Tonder was a romantic naive poet who felt the enemy should love him. Steinbeck presented Tonder as "a bitter poet who dreamed of perfect, ideal love of elevated young men for poor girls" (25). When Lieutenant Tonder first arrived in town he thought that it was a nice country with nice people. Tonder says, "There are some beautiful farms here. If four or five of them were thrown together, it would be a nice place to settle, I think" (34). The war was not ending as quickly as Tonder expected. The townspeople had become the silent enemies of the soldiers or the townspeople became silent waiting for revenge. "Now it was the conqueror was surrounded, the men of the battalion alone among silent enemies, and no man might relax his guard for even a moment" (65). The soldiers now have only each other to talk to and Tonder longed to go home. "The men of the battalion came to detest the place they had conquered,... and gradually a little fear began to grow in the conquerors, a fear that it would never be over" (65-66). In war, as time goes on fear begins to settle on soldiers. "Thus it came about that the conquerors grew afraid of the conquered and their nerves wore thin and they shot at shadows in the night" (66-67). Tonder starts to doubt the honesty of his fellow Germans Tonder says, "If anything happened- at home, I mean - do you think they would let us know...well, I would like to get out of this god-forsaken hole!" (70-71). Tonder felt at first that this town had nice, pleasant people but as time moved on, he changed his views. "These people! These horrible people! These cold people! They never look at you. They never speak. They answer like dead men. They obey, these horrible people. And the girls are frozen" (71). Tonder who once felt the enemy should love him, now fears the enemy. Tonder starts losing control and says, "The enemy's everywhere! Every man, every women, even children! The enemy's everywhere" (72). Tonder who once wanted to settle in this town now longs to go home. Tonder says, "I mean this: we'll be going home before long won't we?" (75). Tonder is questioning if the town there are in has been conquered. Tonder states, "Conquered and we're surrounded! (77). "Tonder already upset loses control and suggests to Joseph that the `leader' is crazy, that the war will never end, and hysterically avows that the `flies conquer the flypaper'" (Clancy 104). In Tonder's loneliness he visits Molly Morden. "Can you understand this - can you believe this? Just for a little while, can't we forget this war?... can't we talk together like people - together?" (83). Tonder's longings of dying on the battlefield come true when Molly kills him with her knitting needles. Colonel Lanser is the leader of the invaders. He would execute any Nazi order. Colonel Lanser asks the townspeople to be cooperative. Charles J. Clancy states, "Annie scalds some soldiers on the rear porch, and Lanser excuses her conduct in an effect to get Mayor Orden's cooperation" (103). Lanser doesn't understand why all people don't follow orders. He as a soldier is expected to carry our and follow orders. His life as a Colonel would be simple if everyone followed orders. He hoped in his mind that this war would not be like the last war. "Lanser told himself he was a soldier, given orders to carry out ... he tried to put aside the sick memories of the other war and the certainty that this would be the same" (27). The people being invaded will not cooperate and therefore Colonel Lanser's job will be difficult. Lanser says, "We must get the coal. If your people are not orderly, we will have to restore that order by force"