Irony

Be sure to write down ALL definitions in your Literature Notes (binder).

Irony:“The general term for literary techniques

that portray differences between appearance and reality, expectation and result, or meaning and intention.”

  

Verbal Irony

Words are used to suggest the opposite of what is meant.

Ex. Your friend asks you what you think of their

unflattering haircut, and you say, “It really looks great!”

 

 

Dramatic Irony

A contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader knows to be true.

 

Ex. The babysitter does not know that she left her keys in the door and that an intruder is hiding in the linen closet.

Situational Irony

An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader or the audience.

 Ex. After a murder occurs, police interview suspects with obvious reasons to commit the crime, but the actual killer turns out to be a close relative or friend of the victim