Best of Week: Irony

This week we took the Heart of Darkness test, and one of the major themes/questions was irony. There are 3 types of irony: verbal, dramatic, and situational. Through much discussion in English class we came across the idea that an author intentionally creates irony to make his literature deft and complex. Verbal irony is when you say something and mean the other, dramatic irony is when the readers see something that the characters can't, and situational irony is when something unexpected happens.

But the thing that struck me the most was not just irony; it was the fact that we use so much irony in our everyday lives which we tend to overlook. I used to be blind to the irony present in our everyday lives. After having discussions about irony, I started listening closer to my usual conversations.

Sarcasm, one of my favorite things to evoke laughter, is no other than a pseudonym for verbal irony. Someone may ask an obvious question, and often it seems natural to respond with a sarcastic comment. After the other person realizes the sarcasm, they realize that their question was blatantly obvious, and then they look back at you and realize your wittiness, and realize their own foolishness. Point and case, this is also how authors build character in their stories.

Another good example is in modern television, when an idiotic character (e.g. Dwight from the office) is unaware of the actual situation he has put himself in, while the audience members are fully aware of it. The character may do something he thinks is beneficial, when everyone else knows he is just doing something stupid. This dramatic irony shows the producer's brilliance.

Overall, throughout the many pieces of literature we have read, especially Heart of Darkness, I came to recognize that irony is often an author's best tool.