Stories we read must be interesting. If they are not, they will not succeed. Every author strives to add elements to their stories that will create nothing less than a masterpiece. The best stories ever written contain heartbreaking emotion, unpredictable plots twists, and unsettling suspense. The literary device often used by writers that can really shock the reader and leave them of the edge of their seat is irony. Irony takes place when there is an identifiable difference between the way things appear and the actual reality of the situation. For example, a particular character could possibly have his or her own perspective or way of interpreting a certain incident but the reader might be quick to discharge it as completely unsuitable. The most interesting stories I have read all have strong plots that rely on irony to carry the story. Without the irony, they would be mundane and predictable. The author must use a tool, such …show more content…
It is when the author’s meaning behind a part of the story is actually the opposite of what is actually said. Irony can cause the reader to think harder and with more detail about a situation in a story. “A method for evoking humor, irony in literature is often like a private joke that creates a sense of complicity between author and reader. In effect, the author is saying to the reader, ‘I know you are smart enough to understand what is really going on here’” (Barnhart 1). Irony is an extremely common literary device but is also used in everyday speech. It’s very closely related to sarcasm. It is almost like the author is being sarcastic when they present irony within the writing. It can give the reader a sense of comfort towards the author. Irony is better understood when there is a certain sense of understanding and agreement between the author and the reader. The reader must be able to comprehend the fact that the author may be suggesting a much deeper and complex meaning than what is just there on the
Satire and irony are both used in the literary world in many different ways such as parodies. Satire is a literary work that ridicules its subjects through the use of techniques such as exaggeration, reversal, incongruity. Irony is the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally means the opposite, typically for humorous effect. There’s two types of irony which are: verbal irony and dramatic irony. Verbal irony is when something that is said is supposed to mean the opposite. Dramatic irony is when the reader or audience understands more the events of the story than the character in the story.
The Oxford Dictionary of English defines irony as a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character 's words or actions is clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character. Irony― the difference between appearance and reality ―is a literary device evident throughout all literature as either situational irony, dramatic irony, or verbal irony. Surprising readers, situational irony contradicts the expected outcome of the story. For example, the audience of the Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling, expect that Harry Potter will defeat Voldemort, the evil lord, by killing him; however, they are thrown off guard when it is revealed that Harry Potter must allow Voldemort to kill
Irony is a very big part of a story, because it can create new elements in a story. Some of these elements may include humor and theme. "The Ransom of Red Chief" is a great example for this.
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.
Although irony may be associated with negative events or actions, it can also be a sign of good for characters within stories. According to Dictionary.com, irony in literature is defined as “a technique of indicating, as through character or plot development, an intention or attitude opposite to that which is actually or ostensibly stated.” The use of irony is found within the novel The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini. Hosseini uses irony to portray and develop the main dynamic character in this story, Amir. Most of the major events Amir is faced with at a younger age seemingly come full circle when he reaches adulthood. Irony plays a role as Amir lives through tragic events that ultimately teach him how to become a better person.
It is often said that irony is the vital literary element to a story because it gives the story character. Whether it changes the mood, creates suspense, adds foreshadowing, engages the reader or something else, irony can do many things for a story.
Irony, a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result. Throughout Night there is use of situational and verbal irony. This use of irony keeps the reader interested. The use of irony causes the reader to know things that the characters often are not aware of.
A very dull and boring story can be made into a great story simply by adding in something that is unexpected to happen. When the unexpected is used in literature it is known as irony. An author uses irony to shock the reader by
Irony is the difference between what seems to be and what actually is. The definition of irony is a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result. There are many examples of irony in the story the night that I am about to tell you about there is verbal irony, situationally irony, and dramatic irony.
Irony is most commonly used in dialogue to express sarcasm and humor, however it can also be applied to add depth to literature. Mary Shelley employs irony in Frankenstein to emphasize the truth and prompt her readers to question pivotal concepts. Her use of irony does not intended for humor, but instead, she utilizes ironic devices to enhance her overall themes and convey the unpredictable consequences of actions.
-Dramatic Irony is when the words and actions of the characters in a work of literature are known to the audience or reader, but they are not known to certain characters in the story. The reader or audience has a greater knowledge of many of the characters themselves.
Irony is usually termed as a technique or way or presenting a topic with one meaning, not disclosing to the reader that a totally different thing has happened. For instance, one might say it is ironic to save up the money to buy your dream car and it sells minutes before you get there. In the mind of someone like Edgar Allan Poe, irony can take one a far deeper meaning. One piece of irony is the name of the victim, Fortunato. This is an Italian word suggesting good fortune. (Cummings, 2005) However, we know from the beginning of the story that his fortune is not good. The more one looks for it, sometimes the more minute the irony can be. Take the description of Fortunato:
People watch other individuals experience irony all the time. When something is ironic it means that the thing that was to happen, did not happen the way it was thought to happen. Sometimes irony happens to those who least expect it or irony happens to everyone. There have been songs, television ads, and stories written about irony or that have included ironic events or details. One piece of literature that contains a lot of irony is Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat”. Crane uses irony in many different ways in the story to tell of four individuals who survive their ship being wrecked and everyone else aboard has drown.
Irony is a method of the use of words that say the opposite of what you really mean, often as a joke and with a tone of voice that shows this(Hornby,2005,p1080). For example, the title of this short story The False Gems is an example of
Every day people experience ironic situations. Whether it is the bus leaving early when someone is already running late for work or an obstetrician missing a delivery because she is in labor; irony happens. Poetry is life in the form of art, and without irony, it would not be as interesting or relatable. “Irony in poetry occurs when a discrepancy exists between two levels of meaning or experience… Skillfully used, irony is a powerful way of making a pointed comment or manipulating a reader’s emotions” (445). Be it situational irony where the situation itself is opposite a reader’s expectation, verbal irony where a poet manipulates tone to say something opposite of what the words say or dramatic irony which is when the reader sees something