is this and example of Hyperbole

Kade and Lula took slow, careful steps. All around them, the moonlight kissed the red ivy. The ivy stretched out, strangling the garden bench, the fountain, and the gate—taunting them with its omnipresence. How could they possibly get around without touching it? A few droplets of chilly rain splattered down. Each icy drop seemed to say, “Hurry, hurry. You don’t have long.”

3 answers

The passage you provided does not contain an example of hyperbole. Hyperbole is a figure of speech that involves exaggerated claims or statements that are not meant to be taken literally.

In your passage, the description is vivid and poetic, focusing on the atmosphere and the effects of moonlight and ivy, but it doesn't include obvious exaggeration. For instance, stating that the ivy "stretched out, strangling the garden bench, the fountain, and the gate" is a dramatic description, but it does not exaggerate to the point of being implausible or absurd; it simply creates an image of the ivy's growth.

The line about the rain droplets saying, “Hurry, hurry. You don’t have long,” could be seen as slightly personified rather than hyperbolic, as it gives a voice or urgency to the rain without exaggerating its nature. Overall, while the language is expressive, it doesn't delve into hyperbole in this excerpt.

than what is it

The passage you provided is rich in imagery and personification.

  1. Imagery: The text creates vivid pictures in the reader's mind through descriptive language. Phrases like "the moonlight kissed the red ivy" and "the ivy stretched out, strangling the garden bench" evoke strong visual and sensory experiences.

  2. Personification: This is when human traits are attributed to non-human entities. In your passage, the ivy is described as "taunting them with its omnipresence," and the rain droplets are depicted as speaking, urging the characters to hurry. This gives the ivy and the rain a deliberate, almost playful quality, highlighting the characters' feelings of being overwhelmed by their surroundings.

Overall, the writing is atmospheric and emphasizes the characters' tension and urgency while immersing the reader in the detailed setting.