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Essays using irony
Irony - Foreshadowing in literature
Irony in poems
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In the short story “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry tells a story of the life of a poor couple and their struggle during the Christmas holiday. It is about two characters named Jim and Della who sacrifice their most important items to get each other Christmas gifts. Della sells her own beautiful brown long hair. Jim sells his fine watch that had been passed down throughout his family. O. Henry uses many different types of literary devices to state the theme of the story and uses devices such as irony and symbolism to make it apparent. The theme is that the power of love causes one to be selfless in order to bring joy to the life of their true love this makes them the magi. Irony is a technique that involves surprising, interesting, or amusing contradictions or contrasts (Devices 2). For example O.Henry uses verbal irony when he states “There was nothing to do but fall on the bed …show more content…
The sad part is that Della had already cut off her hair and wasn’t able to use the combs any more. The comb symbolises the love the Jim has for Della and that he will give up even the thing that most matters to him, just to make her happy. The chain represents the love that Della has for Jim. These two things were the most important things to them up they wanted to show that they cared for each other. Della is scared when she cuts her hair and isn’t comfortable, but she does it to make Jim happy and be able to get him his gift. Even though Jim sold his watch to get Della her combs he doesn’t regret selling his watch because he just want to make della happy. In the story it’s show that Jim really does have love for her when he says, “ I want you to understand me, Dell, Nothing like a hair cut could make me love you any less”. This shows that Jim will always love Della a lot no matter what are the consequences. Jim got Della to combs to make her happy because those are the one she’s always
Although the Sesame Street video and the story versions of "The Gift of the Magi" were both different, there were some similarities between them. One difference was the relationships between the characters in both versions. In, the video Bert and Ernie are best friends living together. But, in the story Della and Jim are husband and wife. Another difference is the gifts the characters got and what they traded for it. On the video Bert trades his paperclip collection for a soap dish intended for Ernie's rubber duck. Also, Ernie traded his rubber ducky for a empty cigar box intended for Bert's paperclip collection. However, in the story Della trades her hair for a Fob that was intended for Jim pocket watch, which was nicknamed "The Watch." While,
Henry uses multiple metaphors in his speech to show that he is an intelligent and well educated man, therefore, his opinion should be held to a higher standard. For example, he uses the metaphors “I have one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience,” and the metaphor about “listening to the song of that siren,” to show that he is an educated man with a valuable opinion (71). Henry uses metaphors in other ways too, such as the metaphor “we have done everything to avert the oncoming storm,” (72). This metaphor is used to show the ferocity of Britain by comparing it to a storm. Henry uses this to convince delegates that a war with Britain is unavoidable, and that they might as well fight in it. Henry uses a similar metaphor of “hugging the delusive phantom of hope,” to convey the same message
uses well is imagery. A good example of Henry's imagery is, "The next gale that
Literary devices are tools used by the author to help the reader understand a given literary work. Writers use different literary devices depending on their style and what they wish their reader to get out of their work. One important literary device that is essential for a successful literary work is theme. Theme is the general insight into life that the author shares with the reader. There are a number of different methods from which an author can choose to present his/her theme. One common strategy is to communicate the theme through the use of mood; the overall feeling or emotion conjured within the reader. In Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Cask of Amontillado," and in Saki's short story, "The Interlopers," the mood evoked within the reader is used to communicate the short story's overall theme.
A number of writers uses rhetorical devices in their writings whether it’s drama, romance, or a comedy. If you become advanced in the use of rhetorical devices it makes the literature packed with fullness and brings simplicity. Rhetorical devices brings significance instead of plainly stating the details. Writer’s disguise their writings so that the readers have to fathom things out for themselves. In Candide, Voltaire used numerous rhetorical devices to enhance Candide. Voltaire’s use of satire, irony, and symbolism is designed to make fun of philosophical optimism. He utilizes several kinds of rhetorical devices such as satire, irony, and symbols.
Dramatic irony is used through Mrs. Mallard’s reaction to her husband’s return. His death had brought her such great sorrow but upon his return she died. Her death then created sorrier bringing in the irony of the beginning of the story where it was said that Mrs. Mallard’s heart was bad and she was tried not to be stressed.
His mix of sound devices such rhyme and alliteration, makes his story more horrific and on the corner of your seat good. Likewise, he has a idiosyncratic style of writing which applies to ethos and also logos. He uses hyphens to indicate agitation or fear in his narrator.Poe has a brilliant way of taking gothic tales of mystery and terror and mixing them with variations of a romantic tale by shifting emphasis from surface suspense and plot pattern to his symbolic play in language and various meanings of words. Devices of description, from demographia to triplets adjectival and adverbial, and conclude that Poe is a highly descriptive writer. Poe employs all of the types classified by Lanham. Lanham calls techniques of argument also abound; Poe is, after all, an eminently rhetorical writer not only in his literary criticism, where we would expect attempts at persuasion, but in his fiction as well.” (Zimmerman 8) Poe uses many of these deliberately as devices of comedy often verbal comedy: antisthecon, barbarism, bomphiologia, epenthesis, metathesis, prosonomasia, and puns.Poe uses comedy as a distraction from the petrifying atmosphere.The narrator also uses repetition, emphasizing his actions and building suspense. Using this creates the suspense and the theme of the
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.
Abraham Lincoln’s speech, The Gettysburg Address, Mitchell’s opinion essay Peace isn’t Impossible, and the visual, A Man Knows a Man, share a common theme, which is commonly referred to as a universal theme. The themes expressed in these three texts are directly stated, making the author’s message more clearly to readers. The various structures of texts greatly affect the delivery of the theme, due to their having different parameters and goals. Poems, for example, have different kinds of literary devices, such as imagery and figurative language, which help readers explore the theme...
Have you ever read the story of a princess kissing a frog, having it turn into a prince? Well, what if it didn’t become a prince, but she turned into a frog herself! This is called irony, something we would not expect to happen. In the story of the princess we would not expect that to happen. In the story “The Lottery,” written by Shirley Jackson, we see this situation in another form. She uses irony to bring out the point in her story. “The Lottery,” offers an “ironic twist of fate” that causes wonder and makes one sympathize with the characters.
A literary device is a tool that the author uses to transfer a message to the reader. This can help the reader grow appreciation for the work, and better understand the character personality and other traits that are otherwise difficult to convey to the audience. There were several different literary devices that were used throughout the book but I chose to do my paper on a motif.
Most works of literature derive the basis of their meaning from a moment of time of the respective author that directly relates to situations that influence him as a person. Because Hans Christian Andersen encountered first-hand the struggles of an impoverished lifestyle in infancy, he expresses the problems associated with life in his short fairytale The Stead Fast Tin Soldier. In order to elicit to a posterity that would not understand otherwise the perseverance and struggles that accompany success, he uses the fairytale as a mechanism for persuasion. When composing a piece of literature for the purpose of elucidating an emotion, making analysis, or, as in the case of The Steadfast Tin Soldier, to persuade, an author uses many tools of his arsenal, known in its generic collective as rhetoric. In order to achieve what he desires in this piece of work, a story that encourages personal individuality, drive, and the pursuit of self-actualization, Andersen uses many measures of rhetoric such as juxtaposition, symbolism, irony, motifs, and emotional manipulation.
O. Henry’s short story “The Gift of the Magi,” is about a couple who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. The story takes place on Christmas Eve in a furnished apartment at eight dollars a week. I feel that the narrator mocks Jim and Della for being poor. “It did not beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.” (O. Henry 165). Della and Jim’s income shrunk from thirty dollars a week to twenty dollars a week causing them a great deal of financial problems. They both are troubled that Christmas is tomorrow and they cannot afford to buy each other a nice gift. Jim’s gold watch and Della’s hair play an important role in the story.
O Henry was best known for his ironic endings in his writing but the plots of his writing wasn’t all similar. The text “The Cop and the Anthem” and “After Twenty Years” are two stories written by O Henry that has similar ending, ironic ending. Both stories have an ironic ending with the characters being arrested but however the reasons and motivations of why each character was arrested was different causing the difference in the plot. In the text “The Cop and the Anthem”, the character, Soapy, had wanted to be arrested which creates a whole ironic plot, while in the text “After Twenty Years”, the character, Bob, was trying to not get arrested, creating a normal plot unliked the text “The Cop and the Anthem”.
Literary devices are used in many stories to exemplify the deeper meaning of the story. Dante uses literary devices to add meaning in his Divine Comedy and to offer the reader a deeper understanding of his masterpiece. The meaning of this passage is shown by using a tone that gives the reader a sense of hope, by writing metaphors that talk about strength, and imagery to represent Dante's newfound courage. After enduring hardships in the forest, Dante describes his revival through imagery as he says "Warm courage flowed into my heart."