Examples Of Irony In The Gift Of The Magi And The Lottery

Irony

What is it about a story rich in irony that makes it so interesting? Irony causes the reader to expect the unexpected. As a reader you never know what’s going to happen, but you think you do. Irony may add humor to a story or help the reader to connect certain events. Irony is present in “Charles,” “The Gift of the Magi,” and “The Lottery.”

“Charles” is written by Shirley Jackson. It is about a young boy named Laurie who had just started kindergarten. Every day when Laurie comes home from school he tells his parents about a boy in his class named Charles who is a very ornery boy. His parents become used to the routine of Laurie coming home and telling the stories about Charles and his bad deeds. It is ironic that Laurie speaks disrespectfully

It is about a young married couple and how they deal with buying Christmas presents for one another with very little money and only two prized possessions Della’s long beautiful hair and Jim’s grandfathers pocket watch. Della finds a lady to buy her long hair for twenty dollars, once her hair has been cut she sets out to find the perfect gift for Jim. “It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design properly proclaiming its value by substance alone…” (Henry, 277). An example of irony found in this story is that when Jim walks in the door on Christmas Eve Della thinks to herself; “He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves” (Henry, 278). If Della noticed he was in need of a new overcoat coat and gloves she should’ve bought that for him. Once it is time to exchange Christmas presents Jim hands Della her present and upon opening it she realizes it’s the combs that she has wanted for so long. “They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession. And now they were hers, but the tresses that adorned the coveted adornments were gone” (Henry, 278-279). The long hair that Della once had is now gone and the combs will serve her no purpose. Della now hands Jim the new chain for his pocket watch, once Jim sees it he sits down on the couch and puts his hands behind his head and smiled. He then says; “I sold the watch to get the money to buy

The story is about a small community somewhere in America that has followed the tradition of “The Lottery” for many years without ever questioning it, or trying to go against it. The first obvious hint of irony is that the story is named “The Lottery.” In today’s society a reader would think this story is about someone who is about to win a large sum of money, but in this story it has a very different meaning. Once the drawing is about to start a woman by the name of Tessie Hutchinson comes running down the path to the square saying; “clean forgot what today was…” Mr. Summers the conductor of the lottery says to Tessie; “Thought we were going to have to get on without you, Tessie.” Mrs. Hutchinson said grinning, “Wouldn’t have me leave m’dishes in the sink now, would you, Joe?” (Henry, 375). After everyone picks their piece of paper the Hutchinson’s find out that they’re the family that has the piece of paper with the black spot on it. They then put their paper back in the box to draw again and whichever member of the family has the black spot on it is the one who is then stoned to death. Tessie is the one who has the black spot on it. Once everyone closes in on her she begins to yell, “It isn’t fair” (Henry, 379). If it had been anyone else besides herself she would’ve joined in on stoning that member of the community. Also, it is ironic that the woman who had forgotten that it was the day of the lottery is the one