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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 21
Explanation and Analysis—Gossip Mill:
Chapter 21 is narrated primarily by a furniture dealer who recounts a brief encounter with Lena, Byron, and the baby outside Jefferson. He speaks in local dialect and uses occasional hyperbole, such as when he exaggerates Lena's strength:
Then [Byron] come out the back door of the truck. Not fast, and not climbing down on his own legs at all. I be dog if I dont believe [Lena] picked him up and set him back outside on the ground like she would that baby if it had been about six years old, say, and she says, ‘You go and lay down now, and get some sleep. We got another fur piece to go tomorrow.’
Faulkner makes the notable choice to end the novel not in his own voice or from the perspective of a main character, but rather in the words of a man who has made no prior appearances in the story. Almost the entire chapter is written in dialect, consisting of direct quotations from this man to his wife. Faulkner is known for his talent writing dialect specific to Mississippi in the Jim Crow era. He adds significant atmosphere to his novels by evoking the sound of the Southern community his novels depict. This is far from the first instance in the novel of this folksy dialect, but it is an important instance to consider. Why does the story of Lena Grove, Byron Bunch, Joe Christmas, and all the rest end with this stranger's voice?
The hyperbole in this passage offers a clue. The furniture dealer claims that "I be dog if I don't believe" that Lena physically lifted Byron out of the truck and set him on his feet outside. While this feat of strength may not be impossible, the man's phrasing emphasizes that he is stretching the boundaries of what is believable. He seems to be exaggerating for effect, to convey his awe at seeing Lena handle Byron so calmly and authoritatively. He is trying to tell an effective story that impresses his wife. By writing out the furniture dealer's speech based on how it sounds, Faulkner further invites the reader to imagine hearing the story in this man's voice, as though the reader, too, is sitting around the table with the married couple. The hyperbole and dialect thus evoke the bonding experience of sharing semi-embellished gossip about strangers. By ending the novel with this chapter, Faulkner suggests that storytelling and gossip are an integral part of local history, culture, and community.
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