Oct. 16: Exaggeration and Understatement

Today's reading discusses how the use of exaggeration or understatement can be used effectively for emphasis in writing. They can also be used for satiric bite. He give three examples in the reading; Andrew Marvell's carpe diem poem "To His Coy Mistress", Dave Barry in Dave Barry's Bad Habits, and Woody Allen in Without Feathers. In the "For Further Reflection" section he states that exaggeration and understatement are used in ordinary conversation. Humor writers and commedianne use them frequently for quick laughs and they can be used in statire. In writing this segment he must have had my husband in mind. Except that he uses mostly exaggeration. The assignment in today's "Try This" is to use your journal to practice hyperbole and understatement and gives you three prompts:
1. a driver weaving through traffic while talking on a cell phone
2. goings on at a Halloween party
3. anticipating a tooth extraction

Really quick examples:
1. His driving was as erratic as a drunken sailors progress down the sidewalk all the while talking to his imaginary friend, a six-foot white rabbit name "Harvey". He gave little or no notice of those objects and people that he collided with and just kept right on talking.
2. Most of the party goers had opted for the safe standard costumes from the local rental but there were a small cadre of more creative individuals who had gleaned through the latest fantasy games or science fiction novels to fashion their costumes themselves. Some of these ragtag creations demonstrated a complete lack of talent in this area.
3. I approach my annual visit to the dentist in which he will tell me I need to have the aching tooth removed with as much excitement as Anne Bolen approached the executioner's ax.