What is the most effective literary device used in the writing of short stories? As taken from dictionary.com; irony is a technique of indicating, as through character or plot development, an intention or attitude opposite to that which is actually or ostensibly stated. In “An Ounce of Cure” by Alice Munro, irony is used to demonstrate the unfortunate outcomes that can come about as a result of underage alcohol abuse. The story has irony because the narrator’s parents rarely drink alcohol and are strongly against the thought of alcohol. Alistair MacLeod uses irony in his short story “The Boat” to unfortunate events can happen even though the characters do not make it clear that they are soon to happen. In this short story the narrator’s father suffers a tragic death that is not expected by the reader. In the short story “The Doctor” by Andre Dubus, irony is used to create false hope and sadness in the presence of an unfortunate event. In this story it is ironic that an obstetrician who usually brings life into the world cannot save a young boy’s life. In the three central texts mentioned previously it is evident to the reader that irony is used to surprise the reader and provide an unexpected outcome in the presence of an unfortunate event. It is often expected that authors will use irony to demonstrate different visions in their writing. In the short story “An Ounce of Cure” by Alice Munro, the narrator’s parents frowned upon alcohol consumption so one would expect that the narrator would also frown upon alcohol consumption. It becomes evident that the narrator’s parents oppose alcohol when the narrator says, “My parents didn’t drink” (Munro 51). This quotation simply shows how the parents did not consume alcohol. The story g... ... middle of paper ... ...octor is an obstetrician but cannot save the life of the child. In the three central texts discussed heretofore it has become evident to the reader that irony is used to aid in the representation of an unfortunate event. The study of more short stories could come to show how irony can be used to demonstrate many events that end with different outcomes, whether they are positive or negative as in this case. Works Cited Dubus, Andre. “The Doctor”. Halifax, NS; Department of Education, 2002. [Print] Dictionary. Dictionary.com | Free Online Dictionary for English Definitions. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. . MacLeod, Alistair. “The Boat”; Arch of Experience. Printed in Canada: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston of Canada, Ltd., 1987 Munro, Alice. “An Ounce of Cure”; Sunlight and Shadows. Toronto, Canada: Nelson Canada Limited, 1974.
Irony, which is the use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning, is placed throughout many stories and poems. There are many different forms of irony, dramatic irony, situational irony, and verbal irony. Although the most common and most frequent of the three is dramatic irony, all three are widely present in almost any story or drama that would be read.
Dramatic Irony is when you know something the main character doesn’t. This is seen a lot in horror movies. Like when the character runs into a room or into a hallway and they can’t see the killer but he
An element of literature in The Interlopers is situational irony. Irony is the contrast between an actual outcome and what the reader or the characters expect. Irony is important to this story because a major family conflict would have ended, but an event occurred and changed that. Irony is in the interlopers when the wolves came and ate the men. When Georg says, “I will be your friend” it was major irony (Saki 309). The whole story the reader thought that the two men would surely kill each other when they met, but they made up. Also, when Ulrich said “Wolves” there is a turning point fueled by Irony (Saki 310).
“Fear me,love me,do as I say,I’ll be your slave” says Jareth The Goblin King from the Labyrinth. By using irony, the author of a story can create a surprising events. Authors use multiple kinds of irony to make stories more surprising.
1. Irony is a useful device for giving stories many unexpected twists and turns. In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour," irony is used very effectively in her story. Situational irony is used to show the reader what is assumed to happen sometimes doesn't. Dramatic irony is used to hint to the reader something is happening to the characters in the story that they do not know about. Irony is used throughout Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" through the use of situational irony and the use of dramatic irony.
I agree with you when explain how that Mark Twain uses a little of verbal irony in " The Damned Human Race, because Mark Twain, rejecting "Darwins's Theory of Evolution, proves that man is"the lowest animals" due to his cruel, violent and warlike nature. Also during that time, when you used the example of "Humans being greedy" he hit it on the head. Comparing Humans with bees and squirrels, he tells that Human are more greedy and hating to spend money or give things than animals. Man's desire to collect wealth is unlimited. You point out they major point of the story, great
Have you ever been lead to expect one outcome, but then had the situation turn out in a completely different way? The Interlopers ending is ironic and surprising since the author, Saki, leads the reader to believe the story will end opposite of how it actually ends. In the short story, Ulrich’s and Georg’s families previous feud over hunting land causes tension and suspense. Their feud builds the story and specific details based on the action guides the audience to the unexpected resolution. Irony also helps to develop an unpredictable, surprising conclusion in The Interlopers.
“The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive.” -Robert A. Heinlein. In the short story, “The Possibility of Evil”, the author Shirley Jackson uses irony to develop the traits of the protagonist, Miss Strangeworth, in her small hometown. Throughout the story, there are many examples of irony as Miss Strangeworth goes through her normal day. Irony is an engaging literary device used by authors to expose underlying intentions which become critical to the development of the plot.
“Invitation to Murder” written by Josh Pachter is established on situation irony. The text obtains copious examples of situational irony. The title of this contorted story accommodates situational irony. The title “Invitation to Murder” consists of situational irony; because the twelve men were invited to see a man who was about to die, instead they witnessed an assassination. They were invited to a murder rather than seeing a soon to be soon to be perished man. The title of the text is the most literal for of situational irony.
Susan Gable’s Trifles is focused on discovering the killer of a local farmer in the twentieth century. In this play the amount of irony is abundant and the irony always relates to solving the murder. The two types of irony that are most easily discerned in Trifles are verbal and situational irony. Irony is when an author uses words or a situation to convey the opposite of what they truly mean. Verbal irony is when a character says one thing but they mean the other. This can be seen in the way the men dismiss the women. Situational irony is when the setting is the opposite of what one would think it would be for what the play is. This is seen through the setting being in a kitchen and various other aspects of the
A short story is exactly that, short. With that said, the previous four authors waste no time at all incorporating structural and textural irony into their stories in order to compel, provoke and intrigue the reader. For example, Zora Neale Hurston makes no haste incorporating textual irony into the opening of her short story "Sweat." Before there is any time for character development, Hurston's main character is frightened by a bull whip resembling a snake at the opening of the third paragraph. Thereafter the reader is exposed to Delia's frightened nature in regard to snakes. In the following line, ."..her poor little body, her bare knuckly hands bravely defying the strapping hulk before her..." we are also exposed to Delia's defiance and lack of fear to her abusive husband. The underlying irony here is that Delia is terrified of snakes rather than her husband whom is apparently more treacherous ...
Defined by Dictionary.com dramatic irony is “irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and is understood by the audience, but not grasped by the characters in the play” (“dramatic irony”). This type of irony is one that is not seen by characters, but is known to the reader. Towards the end of the story Josephine begs for Mrs. Mallard to open up the door and let her in, as she is afraid her sister is making herself ill (Chopin 201). This is dramatic irony as Josephine does not realize that her sister is not actually making herself ill, but is instead rejoicing in her husband’s death. Another instance at the conclusion of the story, Mr. Brently Mallard enters through the door, Richards quickly tries to block him from Mrs. Mallard seeing (Chopin 201). Richards assumes that Mrs. Mallard is still grieving from her husband’s death. He shields her from seeing Mr. Brently Mallard as he knows it will too much emotion. The dramatic irony is Richards does not realize that she is happy and blocking her view of her husband will make her upset, but only because Brently being alive means her freedom is
One example of dramatic irony is when Oedipus is looking for the killer of the king Laius-his father. The irony here is that he is looking for himself because he is the murder of his father. Oedipus knows that he killed someone, but what he does not know is that it was Laius, the one he murder. Oedipus wants to punish the person who killed Laius, but we, the audience know that Oedipus was the one who killed Laius. Also Oedipus married Jocasta without knowing that she is his mother. We, the audience knew that he was Jocasta's son, but he was unaware of that.
In general, the discrepancy between appearances and reality is ironic. Irony is encountered throughout our daily activities and comes in many forms; verbal, situational. and the cosmic. Verbal irony is the most familiar kind, this occurs when we understand that.
Irony is a useful device for giving stories many unexpected twists and turns. In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour," irony is used as an effective literary device. Situational irony is used to show the reader that what is expected to happen sometimes doesn't. Dramatic irony is used to clue the reader in on something that is happening that the characters in the story do not know about. Irony is used throughout Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" through the use of situational irony and the use of dramatic irony.