What is Irony?
Irony is the difference between
what we expect or what seems
appropriate to happen in a story
and what actually happens.
There are three types of irony:
• Verbal Irony: occurs when a character
says one thing but means another.
• Dramatic Irony: occurs when we, the
readers, know something a character does
not know.
• Situational Irony: occurs when something
happens in a story that is contrary to what
is expected.
Is this an example of dramatic or
situational irony?
• The name of the
housing development
is “The Meadows.”
• This is an example of
irony because the
housing project does
not actually contain
any ____________.
“Gentlemen, this is our proposal for your new
housing development. We’ve chosen to call it,
quite simply, ‘The Meadows.’”
Is this an example of dramatic or
situational irony?
• The boy is trying to
open the door. Why
can’t he?
• What does the sign at
the bottom of the stairs
say?
• This is ironic because
we expect ________
but ________ happens
instead.
Is this an example of verbal or dramatic
irony?
• If the pilots see a goat
in front of them, what
must be about to
happen?
• This example is ironic
because we know
______ but the pilots
don’t.
Is this dramatic or situational irony?
• What is the woman reading
the book studying to
become?
• What treatments are
suggested for all the horse
injuries?
• This is ironic because a
veterinarian is supposed to
_______ but this book
suggests that they
_______.
Write a statement explaining why this is
situational irony.
Write a statement explaining why this is
situational irony.
What is ironic
about this
photograph?
There was
a merchant
in Bagdad
who
Check
out
this story.
What’s
sent his servant to market to buy provisions
ironic about it?
and inwas
a little
while
the servant came
back,I
“That
not
a
threatening
gesture,”
Then
The the
merchant
merchant
lentwent
him his
down
horse,
to the
and
white
and
trembling.
[He]
said,
“Master,
“The
Appointment
in
Samarra”
“Now,
lend
me
your
horse,
and
I willjust
said,
“it
was
only
a
start
of
surprise.
I his
The
speaker
is
Death
marketplace
the
servant
and
mounted
he
saw
it,
me
and
[Death]
he
dug
now
when
I from
was
inthis
the city
marketplace
I was
ride
away
and
avoid
my for
retold
by
W.
Somerset
Maugham
was
astonished
to
see
him
in
Bagdad,
standing
spursbyinainits
the
flanks,
crowd
and
and
ashe
fast
came
as
the
to I
jostled
woman
in
the
crowd
and
when
fate.
I will
go to Samarra
and
there
Ime
had
an
appointment
with
him
tonight
in
horse
and
could
said,
“Why
gallop
did
he
you
went.
make
a
turned I saw it was Death that jostled
Death will not find me.”
Samarra.”
threatening
gesture
me.
[Death] looked
at to
memy
andservant
made a when
threatening
gesture.”
you saw him
this morning?”
Now, isn’t that ironic?