Holling uses many instances of figurative language when recounting his story in The Wednesday Wars. Many of his exaggerated claims or dramatic comparisons lend humor to his tale. Storyboards can be a helpful way for students to explore these figurative meanings. Have students search for examples of metaphor, simile, personification, idiom, or hyperbole in the text. Next, ask them to depict each example and explain its meaning and significance below.
| Hyperbole | Exaggeration or overstatement for humor or emphasis |
"Of all the kids in the seventh grade at Camillo Junior High, there was one kid that Mrs. Baker hated with heat whiter than the sun. Me." |
|---|---|---|
| Simile | A comparison using 'like' or 'as' | "She slashed through my answers with a broad swathe of bright red ink. It looked like my test was bleeding to death." |
| Metaphor | An implied comparison between two things | "I was to come to the Principal's office ... I headed off to Death Row." |
| Personification | Giving human-like characteristics to non-human objects or abstract ideas | "There were the demon rats ... their eyes filled with the Big M - Murder! ... The faster I ran, the more their yellow hatred grew..." |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows three examples of figurative language in The Wednesday Wars.