Irony in Literature

Writers use different types of irony in literature. Certain types of irony infuse humor in the literature in order to make it entertaining for the reader. Other types are designed to make the reader think. Some authors also use the technique as a way to connect the reader with the passage. Two common forms of irony are situational irony, like that used in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and dramatic irony, like that used in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin.

Situational irony, as might be derived from the name, is created by the situation of the characters in a story. Elleström explains that the readers expect the story to go in one direction and lead to a certain conclusion, but instead, the path of the story takes them to a totally different place (51). Situation irony is marked by “contradictions or sharp contrasts” in what is, and what readers anticipate will happen (Elleström 51). In Shirley Jackson’s, The Lottery, the title alone proves to be ironic (220). Generally, lotteries are games of chance and “winning the lottery” is a very good thing. However, by the end of this story, the reader realizes that this lottery is not one that anyone would ever want to win (227). Other examples of situational irony can be found in the story as well. Even Jackson’s simple description of the day as “clear and sunny” is ironic, as it leads the reader to believe that something good is about to happen when just the opposite is true (221). Other writers employ different types of irony, too.

Another type of irony is dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is when the reader knows more than the hero in the story, or when the hero reacts in what is viewed by the reader as an inappropriate way (“Irony” 635). In The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, the reader is presented with several examples of dramatic irony. For example, after learning that Mr. Mallard had died, Mrs. Mallard locks herself in her bedroom (Chopin 565). While Josephine worries that Ms. Mallard is upset, the reader knows that Ms. Mallard is actually thinking about the future, and how good it will be for her without Mr. Mallard (Chopin 565). Instead of lamenting over a life lost, she is dreaming about the life that she can finally live for herself (Chopin 565). Another example of dramatic irony is found when Ms. Mallard dies from “the joy that kills” after seeing that her husband is alive (Chopin 566). However, the reader also knows that Ms. Mallard’s heart was anything but joyful when she discovered that her husband had not died.

In these two examples, the writers’ use of irony makes the stories more engaging to the reader. Through the use of situational irony and dramatic irony, The Lottery and The Story of an Hour, each story has an added level of depth that keeps the reader interested in the storyline.

Works Cited

“Irony.” New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. 3 ed. 1993. Print.

Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” Perrine’s Story and Structure. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2012. 564-566. Print.

Elleström, Lars. Divine madness: on interpreting literature, music, and the visual arts ironically. Lewisburg, PA: Bucknell University Press, 2002. Print.

Jackson, Shirley. “The Lottery.” Perrine’s Story and Structure. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2012. 220-227. Print.