Lesson 7: Hyperbole, Apostrophe, Assonance, Alliteration

Lesson Objectives

• Identify and explain how the four focal devices—hyperbole, apostrophe, assonance, alliteration—are employed in a text.

• Show appreciation for literary selections that weave together sound techniques and figures of speech.

• Compose original sentences that embed the studied devices in order to communicate a personal value or belief.

Hyperbole

• Definition

  • A figure of speech marked by ​exaggeration​ for vividness, emphasis, or comic effect.

  • Goes beyond literal truth to create a striking mental picture.

• Functions & Significance

  • Intensifies emotion and imagery.

  • Frequently used to spotlight a problem, heighten drama, or inject humor.

• Example from the lesson

  • Poem excerpt: “Millions of birds cry for help, / The pollution kills, and nothing is left.”

  • The phrase “Millions of birds cry” is an overstatement that magnifies the seriousness of environmental devastation.

• Practical Writing Tip

  • Pair hyperbole with concrete detail. E.g., “I waited a thousand years in line at the café” emphasizes impatience while still narrating a relatable scene.

• More Examples

  • I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse.

  • My backpack weighs a ton.

  • She cried a river of tears.

  • He runs faster than the wind.

  • This homework is going to take me a million years.

  • My shoes are killing me.

  • The test was a nightmare.

  • I've told you a thousand times!

  • The whole world was watching.

  • His brain is the size of a pea.

Apostrophe

• Definition

  • A direct address to an absent person, an inanimate object, or an abstract notion that is incapable of answering back.

• Functions & Significance

  • Adds emotional immediacy and rhetorical force.

  • Invites readers into the speaker’s private appeal or lament.

• Example from the lesson

  • “O fresh air, where are you? These birds are only a few.”

  • The speaker personifies “fresh air,” pleading for its return and underscoring urgency in an environmental context.

• Connections

  • Often found in elegies, odes, and dramatic monologues where a character confides in a larger-than-life presence.

• More Examples

  • Oh, Death, be not proud.

  • Little Lamb, who made thee?

  • Come, Imagination, and save me from this dull reality.

  • Stars, hide your fires!

  • O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches!

  • My love, where are you, in this dark and lonely night?

  • Roll on, thou dark and deep blue Ocean, roll!

  • Good Lord, what a mess!

  • Science! True daughter of Old Time thou art!

  • O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining.

Sound Devices Overview

• Writers complement figurative language with auditory techniques to enhance musicality, rhythm, and memorability.

• Two key sound devices covered: assonance (vowel repetition) and alliteration (consonant repetition).

• Both sharpen sensory experience but differ in which sound class repeats and where the repetition appears.

Assonance

• Definition

  • Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words, regardless of spelling or where the vowel occurs (beginning, middle, or end).

• Example from the lesson

  • “In the land of dr​ea​ms, the seas do gl​ea​m, / the Philippines has pearls, so beautiful they s​ee​m.”

  • Repeating long “ea/ee” sounds stitches the line together like a melodic thread.

• Effects

  • Produces internal rhyme, creates a soft or flowing cadence, and evokes mood (e.g., long vowels may feel luxurious or somber).

• More Examples

  • "Hear the mellow wedding bells" (repetition of 'e' sound)

  • "Barren land, parched sand" (repetition of short 'a' sound)

  • "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain" (repetition of long 'a' sound)

  • "The deep green sea" (repetition of long 'e' sound)

  • "Shine light on the dime" (repetition of long 'i' sound)

  • "Fleet feet sweep by sleeping geese" (repetition of long 'e' sound)

  • "The lonely road home" (repetition of long 'o' sound)

  • "Stone, home, moan" (repetition of long 'o' sound)

  • "He feared the death greatly" (repetition of long 'e' sound)

  • "Proud round cloud" (repetition of 'ou' sound)

Alliteration

• Definition

  • Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables placed close together.

• Example from the lesson

  • “Pearl of the Pacific, a paradise pure. / Put your plenty palm trees to ensure.”

  • The unstressed consonant p sets a percussive rhythm and spotlights key imagery.

• Effects

  • Heightens emphasis on specific phrases, makes lines more memorable, and can mimic natural sounds (e.g., “s” for a hiss, “b” for a drum-beat feel).

• More Examples

  • Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

  • She sells seashells by the seashore.

  • Big bad bears.

  • Tiny Timmy ticked the time.

  • Wild winds whistle sadly.

  • Sweet birds sang softly.

  • Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.

  • Carrie's cat clawed her couch.

  • Lovely lilies litter the lawn.

  • Betty Botter bought some butter.

Comparing Assonance and Alliteration

• Type of Sound Repeated

  • Assonance → vowels.

  • Alliteration → consonants.

• Position of Sound

  • Assonance → can surface anywhere in a word.

  • Alliteration → primarily at beginnings or stressed syllables.

• Shared Purpose

  • Both enrich auditory texture, reinforce mood, and support thematic cohesion in poetry or prose.

Synthesis & Application

• Combining figures of speech with sound devices multiplies expressive power:

  • Example hybrid line:

  • “O ocean, your waves whisper — I’ve been waiting a wandering eternity for your embrace.”

  • Contains apostrophe (address to ocean), alliteration (repeated w), and hyperbole (“wandering eternity”).

• Writing Exercise

  • Draft three sentences on a value you cherish (e.g., honesty, resilience) using:

  1. Hyperbole

  2. Apostrophe

  3. Assonance or Alliteration

• Critical Appreciation

  • When reading poetry, mark repeated sounds and exaggerated statements; ask how they amplify theme, tone, and reader engagement.

Key Takeaways

• Hyperbole = exaggerated statement.

• Apostrophe = direct address to absent/non-responsive entity.

• Assonance = repeated vowel sounds (anywhere).

• Alliteration = repeated consonant sounds (beginnings/stressed syllables).

• All four devices operate synergistically to heighten imagery, emotion, and musicality in literary texts.