Irony

1. Irony

2. What is Irony? • Irony is a literary device for conveying meaning by saying the exact opposite of what is really meant. • (Sarcasm is one kind of irony.) • It is praise which is really an insult.

3. Sarcasm generally involves malice, the desire to put someone down. Example: • This is my brilliant son who failed out of college.”

4. Life is filled with ironies. • Listen to the following TRUE accounts… • The average cost of rehabilitating a seal after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska was $80,000. At a special ceremony, two of the most expensively saved animals were released back into the wild amid cheers and applause from onlookers. A minute later, they were both eaten by a killer whale. • Iraqi terrorist Khay Rahnajet didn’t pay enough postage on a letter bomb. It came back with “return to sender” stamped on it. Forgetting it was the bomb, he opened it and was blown to bits.

5. There are three types of Irony… • Dramatic • Situational • Verbal

6. Dramatic Irony • Saying or doing something while unaware of its ironic contrast with the whole truth. • A character says, “This is the happiest day of my life,” and the audience knows what the character doesn’t—his family has just died in a plane crash.

7. Dramatic Have you ever seen a horror movie that has a killer on the loose? You, and the rest of the audience, know that the teenagers should not go walking in the woods late at night, but they think a midnight stroll would be romantic. Needless to say, the teens become the next victims.

8. When watching a talk show, the audience knows why a person has been brought on the show. However, the person sitting in a chair does not know that he is going to be reunited with a former lover. This adds to the suspense and humor of the show.

9. Situational Irony • Events turn to the opposite of what is expected. • It rains on the Weather Bureau’s annual picnic. • Evil or horror occurs on a bright sunny day.

10. Situational You break a date with your girlfriend so you can go to the movies with the guys. When you go to the concession stand, you run into your date who is with another guy.

11. You stay up all night studying for a test. When you go to class, you discover the test is not until the next day.

12. Verbal Irony • A simple kind of irony—saying one thing but meaning the opposite. “A marvelous time” means a boring time. Not to be confused with sarcasm. • Sarcasm has a cutting edge and may at times be ironic, but it may also be straight malice.

13. Verbal You are arguing with your mother, who reprimands you for being "smart." Your reply is a sarcastic, "If you think I am smart, then why won't you let me make some smart decisions?"

14. Your boyfriend shows up in ripped up jeans and a stained t-shirt. With a smirk, you say, "Oh! I see you dressed up for our date. We must be going to a posh restaurant."

15. Assignment • Take out your notes on Irony. Read the worksheet and answer the questions. • With a face partner, discuss a situation with irony. Write your ideas on a sheet of paper to share with the class.