By now, you should have learned about irony, one of the most important literary devices used. There are many definitions of irony, but a simple definition is the contrast between what was supposed to happen and what actually happens. Irony is separated into three types: situational irony (you crave oranges, turns out you are allergic to them), verbal irony (“Oh, you are so funny!” when someone is not funny [sarcasm]), and dramatic irony (while reading, you know there is a monster in the closet, but the character does not). Many examples of irony are given in the novel Brave New World, a novel set in the future where humans are biologically engineered and conditioned for their role in society. The novel exemplifies irony because even though they have norms and regulations set, most people tend to not follow them, including the world leaders. In the first couple of chapters, Lenina, a young woman, is introduced. When we first meet her, we learn that she has been seeing a guy, Henry, for the past 4 months. The reader can assume that this is normal, since the same happens in our everyday lives, but we soon discover that this is abnormal. In the new world, a regulation is set that men and woman cannot be in committed relationships, but are supposed to have sex with as many men or woman possible. The fact that she is not promiscuous enough can get her into trouble. “And you know how strongly the D. H. C. objects to anything intense or long-drawn… why, he’d be furious if he knew…” (Huxley, 41) As the story progresses, however, she becomes an example of new world regulations, admitting that she had sex with many men. “She was a popular girl and, at one time or another, had spent a night with almost all of them.” (Huxley, 57) Old world r... ... middle of paper ... ...ion and mentions that “… as I make the laws here, I can also break them.” (Huxley, 219) As one of the most powerful men in the world, this example is very ironic. It can be considered situational irony, since the rules are set by the controllers, yet they don’t follow the rules themselves. In conclusion, many examples are given throughout the novel that exemplifies all three types of irony: situational, verbal, and dramatic. There are many more examples, like Bernard wanting attention and John’s suicide. His suicide can be an example of irony, with the reader hoping that John (the revolutionist) might succeed, but John taking his own life. Irony plays a huge role in the book, pointing out that no society can be perfect and that some laws are broken by the creators themselves. Works Cited Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1946.
William Shakespeare, the author of Romeo and Juliet used irony very well. Juliet wants to be with her new secret husband, where as many have told her she has to marry. She does not want to do so, she and the Friar decide that she will fake her death and send a letter to her husband, Romeo, to tell him to get her away from Verona, Italy. Ironically, Romeo does not get this letter and thinks that she really is dead. He then kills himself to be with her. When Juliet awakes from the forged demise, she establishes that Romeo is dead and ironica...
“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.
We first meet Dmitri Gurov, a married middle aged man with children, who has been unfaithful to his wife many times. He has a great contempt for women and refers to them as “the lower race”. But strangely can’t get enough of them, “ It seemed to him that he had been so schooled by bitter experience that he might call them what he liked, and yet he could not get on for two days together without the lower race”. He is a player, a playboy. He doesn’t feel comfortable around men so he focuses his energies on the ladies, “In the society of men he was bored and not himself, with them he was cold and uncommunicative; but when he was in the company of women he felt free, and knew what to say to them and how to behave; and he was at ease with them even when he was silent”. He tells women what they want to hear so he can get them to bed, “ In his appearance, in his character, in his whole nature, there was something attractive and elusive which allured women and disposed then in his favour; he knew that, and some force seemed to draw him, too, to them.” This keeps life simple for him.
In the short story, "Guests of the Nation," Frank O'Connor uses irony to illustrate the conflict which men face when their roles as combatants force them to disregard the humanity of their enemies. In both life and literature, irony exists when there is a contrast between expectation and reality. Verbal irony is defined as "a figure of speech in which the actual intent is expressed in words which carry the opposite meaning" (Thrall 248). In dramatic irony there is a contrast between a character's perception of a situation and the actual facts. Often "some of the actors on the stage or some of the characters in a story are 'blind' to facts known to the spectator or reader" (155) . The short story "Guests of the Nation" by Frank O'Connor illustrates both types of irony.
Many authors use irony as a way of questioning the reader or emphasizing a central idea. A literary device, such as irony, can only be made simple with the help of examples. Irony can help a reader to better understand certain parts of a novel. F. Scott Fitzgerald helps the reader to recognize and understand his use of irony by giving key examples throughout The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s lush parties, Myrtle’s death, Gatsby’s death, and the title of the novel to demonstrate how irony plays a key role in the development of the plot.
In this novel, there are very few women. In the World State society, men are the dominant gender. Lenina Crowe and Linda are the most featured women in this society. Lenina is a nurse at the hatchery and she can be used to represent single independent women in this society. She is described as young, beautiful and sexy. She is admired by many men in this community and has dated several of them. While in the lift, Lenina says that she had spent a night with most of the men there (Huxley, 2007 pp. 4). Lenina dates one man at a time. She is dating Henry Foster while at the same time she is attracted to Bernard. Sex in the World State society is encouraged from a young age and Lenina is scolded by her friend Fanny Crowe for dating one man for too long (Huxley, 2004 pp. 13). In this novel, being a single independent woman is not a virtue. A woman should date as many men as possible. Having sex with them should not be made a big deal. It is said “everyone belongs to everyone else” (Huxley, 2004 pp. 12). A single independent woman...
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.
The story later shifts to that of Lenina Crowne, a civilized Londoner whose friend Fanny is complaining at how non-promiscuously Lenina acts. Lenina only wants to be with a man named Henry Foster, but, as monogamy is a prime sin of civilized life in 2540 (632 A.F.), Lenina agrees to talk with an alpha named Bernard Marx. Bernard is alienated by his alpha peers for being short and having distinctly non-civilized ideas about life
Westwood, M. “What are examples of Verbal, Situational< and Dramatic Irony in ‘The Story of an Hour.’” E-Notes. E-Notes, Inc., 30 Sept 2013. Web. 17 March 2014
Irony is when the reality of a situation is different from what it seems and when something that one does not expect happens. The classic example most commonly used is that of a fire department burning down. Irony can be found in "A Girl's Story" by David Arnason, "Araby" by James Joyce and "The Happy Man" by Naguib Mahfouz. In "A Girl's Story" David Arnason speaks directly to the reader about the process of creating a good story with interesting characters. The most obvious irony of this story is that "A Girl's Story" is written in fact by a man, therefore it should actually be called "A Man's Story" or "A Man's Story About A Girl." Another example of irony is when David Arnason is creating his main character. He is thinking of the hair colour of his character aloud when he remarks: "If I were feeling better I might be able to do it an ironic way, then black hair...
There are four types of irony, verbal, situational, cosmic, and dramatic. There are situations in life that are ironic and it sometimes compares to a story. “Richard Cory” and “The Story of an Hour” are two stories that compare in the irony given.. The two stories resemble each other and they also resemble life in some situations.
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.
Countless literary devices are used to make publishable literature. One most used devices is irony. Irony is defined as a situation or statement characterized by a significant difference between what is expected or what is understood and what actually happens or is meant. Two famous pieces of literature that use this device are The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
In cosmic irony the contradiction takes place, but a supernatural force is said to smoke, smokes. It would not be ironic for Kim to smoke, however, the circumstances make the situation ironic. However, Anne, the head of MADD, on her way to a meeting with the organization, is struck by a drunk driver and dies, not knowing that the drunk driver,who survives without a scratch, was her son. This is an example of both situational and cosmic irony. The situation is ironic, but, a supernatural force seems to have created the situation.
Society is essentially a rulebook describing how people are supposed to think and how they are supposed to act upon these thoughts. Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World explores the importance of questioning the values and societal pressures of the time period you’re living in, however, he still displays his own prejudices of the 1930s in the way Aldous Huxley wrote female characters in his book. In the 1930s, being a submissive and hardworking housewife was the currency you had to have as a woman to have value. In Brave New World, the character Lenina is very different from this expectation due to her being a sexually-active woman who has a well-respected and important job outside