Directions: After reading through the Iroquois legend of creation, answer the following questions using the evidence-citing strategy, I.C.E. (Identify/Cite/Explain). Answers should forever and always be developed in complete sentences.
Through citing, describe two moments of hyperbole found in the fourth paragraph of the legend, ‘hyperbole’ being a common characteristic of Indigenous Peoples literature due to its mythological nature.
In the fourth paragraph of the Iroquois legend of creation, there are two moments of hyperbole. First, the text states that the sky woman, who fell from the sky, was caught by birds who flew under her “like a great beautiful white cloud.” This is a hyperbolic statement because birds would not be able to support the weight of a falling woman as if she were as light as a cloud. The use of this exaggeration conveys the awe and wonder of this moment in the creation story.
Second, the paragraph describes how when the earth was created, it was filled with “great quantities of fruits and herbs and animals of every kind and also birds of every description.” This is another example of hyperbole as it suggests an overwhelming abundance of natural resources and biodiversity. While the creation of a diverse and abundant ecosystem may be significant, the use of this hyperbolic language emphasizes the richness and splendor of the earth's creation in the context of the mythological narrative.
Two moments of hyperbole found in the fourth paragraph of the Iroquois legend of creation are identified and described as follows:
1. According to the legend, "the people multiplied so rapidly that there was danger of their increasing so fast as to use up the food of the country." This statement is a hyperbole because it exaggerates the rate at which the people multiplied, suggesting an overwhelming and impossibly rapid growth. It serves to emphasize the idea that the population was expanding at an extraordinary pace, highlighting the significance of the issue.
2. Another instance of hyperbole in the paragraph is when it states that "the child born to her every morning became a grown man when the sun went down." This statement is clearly an exaggeration as it portrays a child going through an entire life cycle in a single day. It highlights the supernatural and miraculous nature of the child's growth, emphasizing the extraordinary powers or transformative qualities within the story.
Overall, these hyperbolic moments in the fourth paragraph of the legend contribute to its mythological nature by creating an atmosphere of wonder and awe, accentuating the larger-than-life elements characteristic of Indigenous Peoples literature.
To identify and cite two moments of hyperbole in the fourth paragraph of the Iroquois legend of creation, let's take a closer look at the text:
Paragraph 4: "The trees and the bushes on the earth, they bore fruit and blossomed. Behold it! They grew and grew. When they put forth their heads, behold! They spake to one another; they sang together, and as they sang there was light."
1. The first moment of hyperbole in this paragraph is the statement that the trees and bushes "grew and grew." This emphasizes the rapid growth and abundance of plant life. The use of repetition with "grew" adds to the hyperbolic effect, as it implies an exponential growth that is beyond what would typically occur in nature.
2. The second moment of hyperbole is when it states that the trees and bushes "spake to one another; they sang together." This personification of the plants, suggesting that they communicate and create music, goes beyond the literal reality of plants. This hyperbolic portrayal adds a sense of wonder and enchantment to the legend, highlighting the mythical nature of Indigenous Peoples literature.
By citing these specific examples of hyperbole, we can see how the Iroquois legend of creation uses exaggerated language and imagery to convey the mythological aspects of the story.