Irony?
So is this irony, or just a coincidence?
In general..
Irony means
that what
happens is
the opposite
of what you
would
expect.
Situational Irony
A situation where is the outcome is different from what is
expected to happen, it’s opposite
Definition
Movie Example
TV example
Dramatic Irony
The audience knows something that the character does not, the reader
understands more about the conflict in the story than the characters do
Definition
Verbal Irony
Saying the opposite of what you mean
Example 1, 2
Definition/Mini lesson
Irony in Literature…
• Situational- “Water, water everywhere, nor any
drop to drink” – Rime of the Ancient Mariner ,
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Rappaccini’s Daughter
and Young Goodman Brown, Desire’s Baby,
The Necklace, Gift of the Magi, Wizard of Oz
• Dramatic- Romeo and Juliet, Oedipus Rex,
Othello
• Verbal- “Let’s put our Christmas presents away
awhile, they’re too nice to use just at present”
Stephen Crane’s “War is Kind”
Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind.
Because your lover threw wild hands
toward the sky
And the affrighted steed ran on alone,
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment
Little souls who thirst for fight,
These men were born to drill and die
The unexplained glory flies above them
Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom–
A field where a thousand corpses lie.
Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.
Because your father tumbled
in the yellow trenches,
Raged at his breast,
gulped and died,
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Swift, blazing flag of the regiment
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
These men were born to drill and die
Point for them the virtue of slaughter
Make plain to them the excellence of killing
And a field where a thousand corpses lie.
Mother whose heart hung
humble as a button
On the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
video
War is kind.
Ironic Story Choices:
Option 1: “The Sniper”: In 1922, there was
an Irish civil war. One warm June night, in
the city of Dublin, a Republican sniper
is pinned down on a rooftop. Will he survive?
Option 2: “Desiree’s Baby” In the
antebellum South, Desiree has a perfect life,
perfect baby, and perfect husband, a rich
plantation owner. Is it too good to be true?
Option 3: “The Necklace”: In 19thcentury
France, a young woman who wants to
impress borrows a diamond necklace.
What will it really cost her?
Directions
• You are going to divide into groups based on what
story you want to read. Work on the pre-reading
questions with your group, then read the story
silently to yourself, answering the while reading
questions as you go. If you finish the story before
the others in your group, work on the after-reading
questions. Once the group is done reading,
complete the after-reading questions together (or
compare your answers).
• (If there are issues with people talking when it’s
supposed to be quiet, or letting the others in the
group do all the work, you will do this on your own)
Group Checklist:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reading questions
Paragraph describing setting, 2 examples of imagery
Character web for chosen character
Character analysis paragraph
Plot chart for story, at least 5 events
Presentation chart (organizing basic details, 6 word
summary)
• Visual for story (can show setting, characters, include words,
explain irony, etc)
• Group presentation: Describe setting, characters, main
events, why story is ironic, show and explain visual. Everyone
must speak, everyone in your group must be able to answer
questions about any part of your group’s story. Explain
clearly, because the rest of the class must know the
information for the test.