2.9 Irony – The Cask of Amontillado
• Situational irony occurs in theses two short stories (take notes in your text)
– In the short story "The Gift of the Magi," a young couple is too poor to
buy each other Christmas gifts. The man sells his pocket watch to buy his
wife a set of combs for her long, beautiful hair. She, meanwhile, cuts off
her beautiful hair and sells it to a wig-maker for money to buy her
husband a watch-chain. The author uses irony in this story to compel
the reader to stop and think about love, sacrifice and what is truly
valuable.
– "The Stolen Party" details an upper-class birthday party as seen hrough
the eyes of a 9-year-old Hispanic girl named Rosaura. A seemingly
innocent and lively story, "The Stolen Party" quickly reveals itself to be a
complex tale that illustrates the effect of class barriers on lower-income
children and the painful loss of innocence often faced by those children.
Rosaura and Luiciana become friends in the story, but one is lower class
and the other upper. Their "friendship" was part of the irony because
Rosaura thought she was her best friend but ironically Luciana was using
their friendship so Rosaura can do most of the work. “The Stolen Party”
uses irony to show how the ways that Rosaura was helping out of the
party could be seen two ways – either as being a helpful party guest, or
as a paid servant hired for the party. Also, at the end of the story when
Rosaura is waiting for Senora Ines. Rosaura expect that she is going to
receive a gift but instead she receives money. This is different than what
she expected to occur, and therefore ironic.
2.9 Irony – The Cask of Amontillado
This situational irony leads to an understanding of the theme or major idea
of each story. You have seen how writers use situational irony in the previous
examples.
• Writers also use other types of irony to create an effect. Predict why they
might use these types of irony:
-Writers use verbal irony by having a speaker or narrator say one thing
while meaning another.
-Writers use dramatic irony when the readers know more about what is
to happen than the main characters know.
• Authors can use irony to make their audience stop and think about what
has just been said, or to emphasize a central idea (theme), or to create an
emotion such as humor. The audience's role in realizing the difference
between what is said and what is normal or expected is essential to the
successful use of irony.
2.9 During Reading
• As you read “The Cask of Amontillado,” pay
attention to Poe’s point of view, the story’s plot,
and the characters described in the story
• Highlight areas of the text where Poe uses irony,
and other literary narrative techniques (imagery,
use of figurative language, symbol, allusion,
foreshadowing and flashback). Identification of
these will help you in identifying theme!
• Also, use the My Notes space to respond to the
Key Ideas and Details questions.
HW: After Reading, Writing Prompt, &
CYU
• After Reading (instructions on p. 122/chart on p.
123): Highlight the irony in the text. Mark with
either VI (verbal irony), SI (situational irony), or DI
(dramatic irony). Fill in the chart on page 123.
• On your own, complete the Writing Prompt and
Check Your Understanding on page 122 in your
spiral.
• The audio of the story and instructions are on my
website. The chart, writing prompt, and Check
Your Understanding are due next Thursday, March
19th.
2.9 Group & Class Discussion
• Discuss/annotate the irony and how it adds to
the story’s…
– Plot
– Character development
– Theme
• As a group ,write a thematic statement of the
story in your spiral.