This is a very good question. To me, one of the key
examples of hyperbole comes when Orwell is faced with killing the elephant. When he has
located the "rogue" elephant who has caused so much trouble, Orwell goes to meet it, and
we are told that:
...practically the whole population of the
quarter flocked out of the houses and followed
me.
Note how later on, when
Orwell is describing how he felt like a "fool," marching off to meet this elephant, he
describes the crowd as an "ever-growing army," highlighting the hyperbole and how to
Orwell's mind he was being observed by an innumerable multitude of Burmese citizens.
Note too how this increases the peer-pressure that Orwell felt and his final realisation
that he had no choice but to kill the elephant. With an audience that big, he had no
choice but to give the Burmese the show they desired.
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