My Oedipus Complex

“My Oedipus Complex” utilizes hyperbole to add humor and stakes to the extreme exaggerations of the young narrator. By adding in these wild declarations, like comparing the family rejecting his early morning plans to “burying a family from the cradle,” Larry comes across as immature (16). This bold voice aids the story by contrasting the rich, melodramatic life within Larry’s mind to the quiet, familiar life of his home. The text is able to balance these two different truths by exaggerating Larry’s descriptions and highlighting the absurdity of the situation. This is seen in moments when Larry is unable to wait any longer to interrupt his parents. The fact that he, as the narrator, is exaggerating how long and excruciating a wait this is, doesn’t need to match up with the facts. The hyperbole communicates Larry’s feelings without the reader needing to agree with Larry’s assessment. It cannot have been as long of a wait as Larry narrates, but by making Larry’s perception of time seem absurd, the story becomes humorous without losing how strongly Larry feels about the situation. As Larry emotionally grows, he begins to act more like his parents and be less prone to these hyperbolic interpretations.