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Understanding Irony. The use of irony is the best antidote for the story which has begun to ‘take itself too seriously,’ a particularly common ailment” -Stephen Minot. Element of Surprise. Important in a good story, just as in real life.
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Understanding Irony The use of irony is the best antidote for the story which has begun to ‘take itself too seriously,’ a particularly common ailment” -Stephen Minot
Element of Surprise • Important in a good story, just as in real life. • We usually expect events to develop in a certain way, only to see them turn out otherwise. • EX: Election won by underdog, a dreaded interview turns into an opportunity we had not dared hope for, a firehouse goes up in flames.
IRONY • The difference between what we expect and what actually happens is the essence of irony
The simplest kind of irony, you use it everyday! When you say one thing but mean something else, you are using verbal irony. When your tone is bitter, you might call it sarcasm. Example: If Sabrina looks at a muddy stream, we’d expect her to call it a muddy stream. But if instead she says, “Nice clean water you have here,” she is using verbal irony. Verbal Irony: Saying One Thing But Meaning Something Else
Situational Irony: Reversing our Expectations • In fiction, irony is most apparent in plot: situational irony. • It occurs when a situation that is expected to happen, or that is intended to happen, is the opposite of what actually does happen. • Ex: a religious leader’s son turns out to be a crook, or a general reveals his coawardice.
Situational Irony: Reversing Our Expectations • Situational irony cuts deeply into our feelings. • Even though we believe we can control our own lives, we know that chance or the unexpected often has the last word.
Irony comes from Greek word eirōneia which means “a withholding of knowledge.” This is the kind of irony we associate with a play or movie: Dramatic Irony. Dramatic Irony occurs when the audience (of a play or movie) know something that the characters on stage or on the screen do not know. EX: horror movies, Little Red Riding Hood. Dramatic Irony: Withholding Knowledge
What Is the Purpose of Irony? • When you sense the use of irony in a story, ask yourself: What is the purpose of this irony? • Does the use of irony create comedy? Is it there for laughs? • Does the irony create a sense of tragedy? Is it there to make me feel sadness or puzzlement at the unexpected nature of life? • Is the irony there to make me think about people in a new and unexpected way?
