Unit 5 Notes
Irony and Ambiguity
Irony
• Irony – when the truth is opposite of what is
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perceived
If you are eight feet tall, weigh five-hundred
pounds, and your nickname is “Tiny,” irony has
occurred
If Montressor toasts to your health when he’s
about to kill you in his basement, irony has
occurred
We will discuss three different types of irony
Verbal Irony
#1: Verbal Irony
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Verbal Irony –
When one means the opposite of what one says
When the opposite of what one says is true
Shares similarities with sarcasm
Examples:
If someone spits in your cheerios and you say, “Mmm!
Great. Delicious,” you are (hopefully) being sarcastic
Wilson robs a bank, punches a police man, knocks over
a senior citizen, jaywalks, scares a baby, and is about to
speed off in his car when more policemen come charging
around the corner. However, one of them slips on a
banana peel, tripping everyone else, and Wilson gets
away. “Good thing that banana peel was there!” he says
to himself as he gets away.
How is this verbally ironic?
Situational Irony
#2: Situational Irony
• Situational Irony – when a scenario
results in the opposite situation of what
we would expect
• An ambulance that runs someone over
• A pilot that’s afraid of heights
• Two peace ambassadors fist-fighting each
other
Dramatic Irony
#3: Dramatic Irony
• Dramatic Irony – When the reader (or
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audience) knows that a character is about to
experience the opposite of what he or she
expects
Often occurs in plays or movies
We watch as a piano is pushed off the roof of a
building. As it falls, someone directly below it
declares, “What a wonderful day! Everything’s
going so well!”
Things to remember
• Irony is often confused with the amusing
and the coincidental
• In order to be true irony, the truth must
be opposite of what is perceived
• Just because something is funny,
unexpected or amusing, don’t
automatically assume it’s ironic
Note the Difference
• Not very ironic
• Fairly ironic
Part III:
Ambiguity
Ambiguity
• Imagine that in class, someone asks Mr. Pilola,
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“Are we going to have fun today? Or are we
going to spend all class writing an essay?” And
Mr. Pilola answers, “Yes!”
Mr. Pilola has just been ambiguous
Ambiguity – When several (sometimes
conflicting) interpretations are possible
Ambiguity is sometimes used in stories to make
the reader think or to avoid a clear-cut ending
Ambiguity can be good
If ambiguity seems like it is done on purpose, it
can be good because it:
• Encourages readers to participate in the story by
adding their own thoughts
• Encourages readers to consider several possible
correct meanings to your work
• Makes readers think harder
• Allows readers to start a debate/conversation
Ambiguity can be bad
If it seems like you are ambiguous by
accident (or your ambiguity is
unwelcome), it might:
• Allow for one or more incorrect
interpretations of your work
• Create unintended (undesirable) meanings
• Frustrate or confuse readers
Examples of Bad Ambiguity
Ambiguous Newspaper Headlines
• prostitutes appeal to judge
• teacher strikes idle kids
• squad helps dog bite victim
• enraged cow injures farmer with ax
• miners refuse to work after death
• juvenile court to try shooting defendant
• stolen painting found by tree
• two sisters reunited after 18 years in checkout counter