Irony
&
Theme
Created by:
Hannah White, Zach Schneider,
Jacob Presson, Justin Russell,
and Katie Wenban
Irony
 An
element in writing
where the meaning
of a situation is
opposite to what it
seems to be.
 Through irony, the
intended meaning is
“masked” by the
writer.
Verbal Irony
A
Type of irony in
which the writer uses
words to “mask” the
actual meaning.
 The writer’s words
make the reader
perceive a meaning
opposite to what it
really means.
 Sometimes, it is similar
to sarcasm.
 While
Rainsford and
Zaroff are having
dinner at Zaroff’s
mansion the first
night, Zaroff
exclaims “We do
out best to preserve
the amenities of
civilization here.
Please forgive any
lapses.” (p. 24)
Found on page 24
Examples of
Verbal Irony
in…
The Most
Dangerous
Game
By Richard Connell
 This
conversation is
an example of
verbal irony
because despite
what he says,
Zaroff knows that
civilization is not
preserved on the
island because of
the “animals” he
hunts. Hunting
humans is a huge
lapse on the island,
and Zaroff is aware
of that fact.
Examples of
Verbal Irony
in…
The Most
Dangerous
Game
By Richard Connell
Dramatic Irony
A
type of irony in
which the reader
understands more
than what the
character does.
 For the reader, it
adds importance to
a character’s actions
and thoughts.
 Dramatic
Irony
is like in a scary
movie when a
character is
going to open
a closed door,
not knowing
who, or what is
behind it.
Examples
of
Dramatic
Irony
 The
scary movie
example shows
dramatic irony
because the
viewers know
more than the
characters in the
film. They already
know there is
someone or
something behind
the door, and are
anticipating the
result of the
character opening
the door.
Examples
of
Dramatic
Irony
Situational Irony
 Situational
Irony is
an event that
directly contradicts
the expectations of
the characters.
 Whatever the
characters think will
happen, the
opposite happens
instead.
 In
the very
beginning of
the book,
Whitney is telling
Rainsford about
Ship-Trap
Island’s bad
reputation.
Rainsford
brushes it off as
“superstition”.
Examples of
Situational
Irony in…
The Most
Dangerous
Game
By Richard Connell
Found on page19
 This
is
situational irony
because
Rainsford didn’t
think Ship-Trap
Island was bad
at all, and he
ends up
getting into a
life-threatening
situation there.
Examples of
Situational
Irony in…
The Most
Dangerous
Game
By Richard Connell
Theme
 The
general idea or
insight about life
that a writer puts
into a story to
express a lesson or
moral.
 A message
portrayed through
the literary work.


Standing up for what
you believe in could
be a possible theme.
Though Rainsford
was an avid hunter,
he spoke out against
Zaroff “hunting”
people. Rainsford felt
all humans are equal
and that no one
should take
another’s life for
pleasure.
Found on pages 27-28
Examples of
Theme in…
The Most
Dangerous
Game
By Richard Connell


Another theme could
be that viewing life
through a different set
of lenses is necessary
to connect to others.
Rainsford had no
respect for the
animals he hunted
early on, and then as
he became “the
hunted,” he learned
true fear and began
to connect to the
animals he hunted.
Found on pages 19-20, and 34-35
Examples of
Theme in…
The Most
Dangerous
Game
By Richard Connell
Works Cited Page
Kinsella, Kate. "Literary Terms Handbook." Prentice Hall Literature. Timeless Voices,
Timeless Themes. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002. R10. Print.
 Melani, Lilia. "Literary Terms." N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
<http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/lit_term.html>.
 All American: Glossary of Literary Terms. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/allam/general/glossary.htm>.
 Midnight Ship. Digital image. MattePainting.org. N.p., 3 Mar. 2010. Web. 12 Sept.
2012. <http://mattepainting.org/vb/showthread.php?t=6368>.
 Hand Opening Door with Key. Digital image. N.p., 2 July 2011. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
<http://free-images-etc.rb-d.com/?attachment_id=2731>.
 The Most Dangerous Game. Digital image. Sara's Work Paridise. N.p., n.d. Web. 12
Sept. 2012. <http://syaisomanang.weebly.com/short-stories.html>.
 School Zone Sign Misspelled. Digital image. Abc4.com. N.p., Aug. 2008. Web. 12
Sept. 2012. <http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/Oops-School-zoneroad-sign-needs-spell-check/AsAz_skJL06J7ev2Epiubg.cspx>.

Works Cited Page
"Theme." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
<http://dictionary.reference.com/>.
 Cherry, Nathan. Right Way Wrong Way Signs. Digital image. Engage
Family Blog. N.p., 6 July 2012. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
<http://engagefamilyminute.com/2012/07/responding-to-rachel-heldevans-i-believe-your-position-is-wrong/>.
 The Most Dangerous Game. Digital image. N.p., 15 June 2010. Web. 12
Sept. 2012. <http://blog-aip.blogspot.com/2010/06/most-dangerousgame.html>.
