GSE RL6: Point of view, Irony, Hyperbole and Understatement

The dew on the grass made my running shoes damp. It didn't bother me. The sound of my feet hitting

the street formed a rhythm, a steady pattern of light thumps. I timed my breathing with the rhythm.

These sounds filled my head. I thought of nothing other than the next step and keeping my tempo. I

soared over the sidewalks like concrete clouds.

• First-person narrator

• Third-person objective

• Third-person limited

• Third-person omniscient

Red looked across the prairie. He didn't see anything concerning. He wondered why Texas Joe had

hollered like that. Texas Joe turned to him. The ghost that Texas Joe had just seen was gone. Texas Joe

swatted at the air. Now he felt crazy. "You have to believe me, Red. It was just here," said Texas Joe.

Red scowled at him in disbelief. "What was just here, Joe?" he asked. Red was angry with Texas Joe for

disturbing his sleep for no apparent reason.

• First-person narrator

• Third-person objective

• Third-person limited

• Third-person omniscient

Tom has always liked Lucy, but Lucy has always thought Tom was annoying and unattractive. One

day, Lucy comes home to find an eviction notice on her door. Apparently, her roommate had been

spending the rent money that Lucy was giving her on other things. Lucy only has 24 hours to get all her

stuff over to her mom’s house, and Lucy doesn’t even have a car. But Tom has a truck. So Lucy calls

up Tom and asks him how he’s doing. She tells him that she’s always thought he was funny, and that

they should hang out sometime. Tom thinks that Lucy has finally come around is beginning to like him.

He also thinks that his jokes are funny because she is laughing after everything that he says.

• Verbal Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Situational Irony

• Subtle Irony

She gave birth to me, raised me and provided for me from an infant… Maybe I owe her one.

• hyperbole

• understatement

• simile

• personification

Tim Kylie is one of the world's top chefs. He is best known for his signature dish, triple-dipped chip

steak. This masterpiece contains over a pound of beef braised in duck fat. Another of Chef Kylie's more

celebrated dishes is the Hamslaughter Supreme. This dish features ham stuffed sausage links presented

in a basket made of braided bacon. While carnivores around the world roar for Chef Kylie's creations, it

is unlikely that Chef Kylie will dine with them. As a longtime vegan, Chef Kylie would never dream of

devouring one of his own dishes.

• Verbal Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Situational Irony

• Confusing Irony

Jeremiah squinted from the sun. He was thinking about the game. They could have won. He could

have won the game for them. All he needed to do was catch the ball, but he didn't. He dropped it. His

coach talked to him. "Jeremiah, we had a great season. Nobody's perfect. Look at me. Ha ha," he said.

Jeremiah smiled at the coach, but he couldn't forgive himself so easily.

• First-person narrator

• Third-person objective

• Third-person limited

• Third-person omniscient

A mean old man ate a large meal at a restaurant. The waitress tried to provide him with excellent

service, but every time she brought him a dish, he complained. First he thought that the soup was too

cold when it was hot. Then he said that his steak was dry and chewy, when it was moist and succulent.

Then he complained that one of her blonde hairs was in his mashed potatoes, but the hair was actually

grey like his own. She remained patient and continued to try to help him until the end of the meal, when

he left her a quarter for a tip. She replied on his way out, “Thank you for the generous tip, Mister.”

• Verbal Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Situational Irony

• Specialized Irony

The rain pours and pours. It pours endlessly.

• simile

• metaphor

• understatement

• hyperbole

The birds were chirping and the sun was shining. Kevin and Juno were sitting on a park bench

together. Neither of them was smiling. After a long period of silence, Kevin said, "This isn't going to

work. I mean, you're a dog person, and I'm a cat person." Juno nodded. A tear rolled down her face.

Kevin went on, "If we got married and bought a house, what kind of pet would we get? Some kind of

cat-dog? Somebody's going to be unhappy." Juno began sobbing and said, "Ok, let's just end it now.

Have fun with your crazy cats." She jumped off the bench and ran into the woods.

• First-person narrator

• Third-person objective

• Third-person limited

• Third-person omniscient

Jerome figured that wrestling the grizzly bear would be a tad bit risky, so he went back the way

he came.

• simile

• metaphor

• hyperbole

• understatement