Irony 3 Kinds of Irony

What is Irony? Irony is about expectations. Irony: the opposite of what is expected. 3 kinds of irony Verbal Dramatic Situational

Verbal Irony A character says one thing but means the opposite Also called sarcasm or being sarcastic. Examples The locker room smells really good. Awesome! Another homework packet!

Verbal Irony Understatement Overstatement occurs when one minimizes the nature of something. Overstatement occurs when one exaggerates the nature of something.

Dramatic Irony When the reader understands more about the events of a story than a character. You know something that a character doesn’t. Example Tim’s parents are proud of the “A” he got on the test, but we know he cheated. Alex writes a love poem to Judy but we know that Judy loves Devin.

Situational Irony When what actually happens is the opposite of what is expected. Something about the situation is completely unexpected. Example General Sedgwick’s last words were, “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” Bill Gates uses an Apple computer.

Something that is ironic is unexpected. Review Something that is ironic is unexpected. If unexpected by a character, it’s dramatic. If unexpected by everyone, it’s situational. If it’s sarcasm, it’s verbal.

Role of Irony It develops a readers’ interest. Irony makes the text more intriguing and forces the readers to use their imagination and comprehend the underlying meanings of the texts. Real life is full of ironical expressions and situations. Therefore, the use of irony brings a work of literature closer to the life.

Satire (noun) a type of writing that uses humor to criticize something- a person, a group of people, humanity at large, an attitude or failing, a social institution-in order to reveal a weakness or fault. Example: Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, is one of the best-known satirists in the world

Moral and Practical Lessons Most forms of irony display a disparity between what the characters think can, should, or will happen and what actually transpires. This can spark strong feelings in the reader and serve as a way to teach practical or moral lessons.

Revealing Character Personalities and Motives In verbal irony, one character says or does the opposite of what he thinks, making verbal irony very similar to sarcasm or a figure of speech. This approach to irony can help the reader gain insight into each character's personality. A character who is frequently sarcastic or dishonest might be a person who should not be trusted or who is going to harm another character. A character who believes an untrustworthy character even when he shouldn't is likely naive and needlessly trusting. Verbal irony can also be used by one character to condemn or draw out the flaws of another. 

Purpose of Using Satire Convince an audience toward a specific point of view Persuade audience toward a certain point of view Using irony or humor to point out how something is ridiculous or laughable Exaggerating the opposite point of view or action to make it look flawed.