Definition and Examples of Irony (Figure of Speech)

Irony is the use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. Similarly, irony may be a statement or situation where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea. Adjective: ironic or ironical. Also known as  eironeia, illusio, and the dry mock. Three kinds of irony are commonly recognized: Verbal irony is a trope in which the intended meaning of a statement differs from the meaning that the words appear to express.Situational irony involves an incongruity between what is expected or intended and what actually occurs.Dramatic irony is an effect produced by a narrative in which the audience knows more about the present or future circumstances than a character in the story. In light of these different varieties of irony, Jonathan Tittler has concluded that irony has meant and means so many different things to different people that rarely is there a meeting of minds as to its particular sense on a given occasion (quoted by Frank Stringfellow in The Meaning of Irony, 1994). Etymology From the Greek, feigned ignorance Examples and Observations EarthA planet doesnt explode of itself, said drilyThe Martian astronomer, gazing off into the air—That they were able to do it is proof that highlyIntelligent beings must have been living there.(John Hall Wheelock, Earth)Kampenfeldt: This is a grave matter, a very grave matter. It has just been reported to me that youve been expressing sentiments hostile to the Fatherland.Schwab: What, me sir?Kampenfeldt: I warn you, Schwab, such treasonable conduct will lead you to a concentration camp.Schwab: But sir, what did I say?Kampenfeldt: You were distinctly heard to remark, This is a fine country to live in.Schwab: Oh, no, sir. Theres some mistake. No, what I said was, This is a fine country to live in.Kampenfeldt: Huh? You sure?Schwab: Yes sir.Kampenfeldt: I see. Well, in future dont make remarks that can be taken two ways.(Raymond Huntley and Eliot Makeham in Night Train to Munich, 1940)Gentlemen, you cant fight in here! This is the War Room.(Peter Sellers as President Merkin Muffl ey in Dr. Strangelove, 1964)It is a fitting irony that under Richard Nixon, launder became a dirty word.(William Zinsser)Irony in Mark Twains Novel Puddnhead WilsonDavid Wilson, the title character of Puddnhead Wilson, is a master of irony. In fact, his use of irony permanently marks him. When he first arrives in Dawsons Landing in 1830, he makes an ironic remark that the villagers cannot understand. Distracted by the annoying yelping of an unseen dog, he says, I wished I owned half of that dog. When asked why, he replies, Because I would kill my half. He does not really want to own half the dog, and he probably does not really want to kill it; he merely wants to silence it and knows killing half the dog would kill the whole animal and achieve the desired effect. His remark is a simple example of irony, and the failure of the villagers to understand it causes them immediately to brand Wilson a fool and nickname him puddnhead. The very title of the novel is, therefore, based on irony , and that irony is compounded by the fact that Wilson is anything but a fool.(R. Kent Rasmussen, Blooms How to Write About Mark Twain. Infobase, 2008)Irony in Shakespeares Play Julius CaesarA classic example of irony is Mark Antonys speech in Shakespeares Julius Caesar. Although Antony declares, I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him, and declares that the assassins are honorable men, he means just the opposite.(Bryan Garner, Garners Modern American Usage. Oxford University Press, 2009)Uses and Characteristics of IronyIrony may be used as a rhetorical device to enforce ones meaning. It may be used . . . as a satiric device to attack a point of view or to expose folly, hypocrisy, or vanity. It may be used as a heuristic device to lead ones readers to see that things are not so simple or certain as they seem, or perhaps not so complex or doubtful as they seem. It is probable that most irony is rhetorical, satirical, or heuristic. . . .In the first place irony is a double-layered or two-story phenomenon. . . . In the second place, there is always some kind of opposition that may take the form of contradiction, incongruity, or incompatibility. . . . In the third place, there is in irony an element of innocence.(D.C. Muecke, The Compass of Irony. Methuen, 1969)An Age of IronyIt is sometimes said that we live in an age of irony. Irony in this sense may be found, for example, all throughout The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Suppose you hear a political candidate give a terribly long speech, one that rambles on and on without end. Afterward, you might turn to a friend sitting next to you, roll your eyes, and say, Well, that was short and to the point, wasnt it? You are being ironic. You are counting on your friend to turn the literal meaning of your expression, to read it as exactly the opposite of what your words actually mean. . . .When irony works, it helps to cement social bonds and mutual understanding because the speaker and hearer of irony both know to turn t he utterance, and they know that the other one knows they will turn the utterance. . . .Irony is a kind of winking at each other, as we all understand the game of meaning reversal that is being played.(Barry Brummett, Techniques of Close Reading. Sage, 2010)Irony as Mass TherapyIrony has always been a primary tool the under-powered use to tear at the over-powered in our culture. But now irony has become the bait that media corporations use to appeal to educated consumers. . . . Its almost an ultimate irony that those who say they dont like TV will sit and watch TV as long as the hosts of their favorite shows act like they dont like TV, either. Somewhere in this swirl of droll poses and pseudo-insights, irony itself becomes a kind of mass therapy for a politically confused culture. It offers a comfortable space where complicity doesnt feel like complicity. It makes you feel like you are counter-cultural while never requiring you to leave the mainstream culture it has so much fun teas ing. We are happy enough with this therapy that we feel no need to enact social change.(Dan French, review of The Daily Show, 2001)Alanis Morissettes IronicAlanis Morissettes Ironic, in which situations purporting to be ironic are merely sad, random, or annoying (a traffic jam when youre late, a no-smoking sign on your cigarette break) perpetuates widespread misuse of the word and outrages irony prescriptivists. It is, of course, ironic that Ironic is an unironic song about irony. Bonus irony: Ironic is widely cited as an example of how Americans dont get irony, despite the fact that Alanis Morissette is Canadian.(Jon Winokur, The Big Book of Irony. St. Martins, 2007)Direct expression, with no tricks, gimmickry, or irony, has come to be interpreted ironically because the default interpretive apparatus says, He cant really mean THAT! When a culture becomes ironic about itself en masse, simple statements of brutal fact, simple judgments of hate or dislike become humorous because they unveil the absurdity, friendliness, and caution of normal public expression. Its funny because its true. Honestly. Were all upside down now.(R. Jay Magill, Jr., Chic Ironic Bitterness. University of Michigan Press, 2007)Alan Bennett on IronyWere conceived in irony. We float in it from the womb. Its the amniotic fluid. Its the silver sea. Its the waters at their priest-like task, washing away guilt and purpose and responsibility. Joking but not joking. Caring but not caring. Serious but not serious.(Hilary in The Old Country by Alan Bennett, 1977)Thomas Carlyle on IronyAn ironic man, with his sly stillness, and ambuscading ways, more especially an ironic young man, from whom it is least expected, may be viewed as a pest to society.(Thomas Carlyle, Sartor Resartus: The Life and Opinions of Herr Teufelsdrockh, 1833-34)Irony DeficiencyIrony deficiency  is an  informal term for the inability to recognize, comprehend, and/or utilize  irony--that is,  a tendency to interpret  fig urative language  in a  literal  way.-  Mobsters are reputedly huge fans of  The Godfather. They don’t see it as a tale of individual moral corruption. They see it as a nostalgia trip to better days for the mob.(Jonah Goldberg, The Irony of Irony.  National Review, April 28, 1999)-  Irony deficiency  is directly proportional to the strength of the political commitment or religious fervor. True believers of all persuasions are irony deficient. . . .Brutal dictators are irony deficient--take Hitler, Stalin, Kim Jong-il, and Saddam Hussein, a world-class vulgarian whose art collection consisted of kitsch paintings displayed unironically.(Jon Winokur,  The Big Book of Irony. Macmillan, 2007)-  Here is something ironic: We live at a time when our diets are richer in irony than ever before in human history, yet millions of us suffer from that silent crippler,  irony deficiency  . . . not so much a deficiency in irony itself, but an inability to utilize the a bundance of irony all around us.(Swami Beyondananda,  Duck Soup for the Soul. Hysteria, 1999)-  Will people who detect a lack of irony in other cultures never stop to consider that this may be a sign of their own  irony deficiency? Maybe its defensible when the apes detect a lack of irony in Charlton Heston in  Planet of the Apes, but not when, say, Brits detect it in, say, Americans as a race . . .. The point of irony, after all, is to say things behind peoples backs to their faces. If you look around the poker table and cant tell who the pigeon is, its you.(Roy Blount, Jr., How to Talk Southern.  The New York Times, Nov. 21, 2004)The Lighter Side of IronyRachel Berry: Mr. Schuester, do you have any idea how ridiculous it is to give the lead solo in Sit Down, Youre Rocking the Boat to a boy in a wheelchair?Artie Abrams: I think Mr. Schue is using irony to enhance the performance.Rachel Berry: Theres nothing ironic about show choir!(Pilot episode of Glee, 2009)​Woma n: I started riding these trains in the forties. Those days a man would give up his seat for a woman. Now were liberated and we have to stand.Elaine: Its ironic.Woman: Whats ironic?Elaine: This, that weve come all this way, we have made all this progress, but you know weve lost the little things, the niceties.Woman: No, I mean what does ironic mean?Elaine: Oh.​(The Subway, Seinfeld, Jan. 8 1992)Im aware of the irony of appearing on TV in order to decry it.(Sideshow Bob, The Simpsons)Math was my worst subject because I could never persuade the teacher that my answers were meant ironically.(Calvin Trillin)Lyn Cassady: Its okay, you can attack me.Bob Wilton: Whats with the quotation fingers? Its like saying Im only capable of ironic attacking or something.​(The Men Who Stare at Goats, 2009) Pronunciation: I-ruh-nee

The Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver - 1807 Words

â€Å"We’re never, ever, ever going to be able to fly as high, unless we’re both in support of each other† is what Emma Watson, actress, model and humanitarian, said during a speech as the U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador to introduce the launch of the â€Å"HeForShe† campaign, where the â€Å"solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all†. Feminism, the act of advocating for female rights in order for them to be equal to those of men, has been an issue for hundreds of years that is sadly lacking present-day progression. In The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, five females narrate their experiences in Congo during the sixties under not only the Belgian’s rule, but more terribly, under the tyranny of Nathan Price, a Baptist preacher on a mission to convert â€Å"arrogant† Congolese people into faithful Christians. Ironically enough, Nathan’s wife, Orleanna, and four daughters, Ruth May, Adah, Leah and Rachel, whom were formerly blind followers of him realize that their patriarch is actually the imprudent and arrogant one. In the end, one by one, they dynamically turn on Nathan and stand up for themselves. The Poisonwood Bible challenges the oppression of women by bringing light to female strength and capability, pointing out gender inequalities and strengthening the regard for female voice. In The Poisonwood Bible, Kingsolver highlights the disparate treatment of the genders, not only in theShow MoreRelatedThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1124 Words   |  5 PagesIn the novel The Poisonwood Bible, written by Barbara Kingsolver, the reader is introduced to the Price family, Baptist missionaries who are attempting to â€Å"Christianize† the country of Congo, more specifically the village of Kilanga. As the story progresses, the family realizes that they are not changing the Congo; instead, the Congo is changing them. The development of the characters within the novel is due to the instrument of cruelty. Although distasteful to regard it as such, cruelty motivatesRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1352 Words   |  6 Pagessuccessful. In the beginning of The Poisonwood Bible, Orleanna introduces to the readers in a third person’s point of view, â€Å"The daughters march behind her, each one tensed to fire off a woman’s hear t on a different path to glory or damnation† (5). Orleanna, a mother who lives throughout the story of The Poisonwood Bible, acknowledges how women, in great numbers, are found walking down the path of trying to be successful. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, involves the Price family of 6, whichRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1142 Words   |  5 PagesThe Poisonwood Bible Nowadays, in today’s society, survival is considered the basic instinct of all humans. Commonly defined as the state of â€Å"continuing to live or exist, in spite of an accident, ordeal or difficult circumstance,†(Dictionary) survival teaches us the will to succeed and face adversity despite the challenges and obstacles we may encounter along the way. In Barbara Kingsolver’s novel â€Å" The Poisonwood Bible,† there is a central theme of survival. Whether it includes finding suppliesRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1198 Words   |  5 PagesPeriod 2 Part I Title: The Poisonwood Bible Author: Barbara Kingsolver Date of Original Publication: 1998 Biographical information about the author (five facts): -Kingslover was born in 1955 - Throughout her life, she has lived in England, France, and the Canary Islands, and has worked in Europe, Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America. - Kingsolver was named one the most important writers of the 20th Century by Writers Digest. - Her work, The Poisonwood Bible, was a finalist for the PulitzerRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1241 Words   |  5 Pagespast and present known society, women have not been treated as the full equals of men. A woman s main value is to support a man, bear children, and housekeeping duties. This is how it has always been in most cultures. The novel, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, shows the paternalistic society in which the Price family lives in. In 1959 an obstinate Baptist minister named Nathan Price drags his wife and four daughters deep into the heart of the Congo on a mission to save the unenlightenedRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1295 Words   |  6 Pages Imperialism has been a strong and long lasting force, oppressing societies for generations on end. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, demonstrates how the Congo is continuously affected by this concept and ideology. Throughout this story, Kingsolver manipulates e ach family member and individual within the book, to better show Western and European ideas and attitudes, to convey the large amount of hypocrisy, in foreigner’s actions. No one shows the oppression, inflicted upon the Congo’sRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1732 Words   |  7 PagesThe Poisonwood Bible 1998 Historical Fiction Characteristics: Unique location, Primitivism, different ways of speaking and racial views Barbara Kingsolver Barbara Kingsolver, born in 1955, grew up in Kentucky and lived in many different countries such as : England, France, and Canary Islands. She attended Debauw University and University of Arizona where she earned a biology degree. Kingsolver now is a beloved author of eleven books and has been named the most important author of the twentieth centuryRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1961 Words   |  8 PagesThe poisonwood Bible is a book about identity, growing up and family. The main characters throughout the book grow and learn to become new people through new relationships they develop while in the Congo as well as through struggles they face while in the Congo. Barbara Kingsolver uses the literary elements of plot, the characters, and point of view to develop the characterization and relationships between the Price family in the Poisonwood Bible. Throughout the book Kingsolver uses different aspectsRead MoreEssay on The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver919 Words   |  4 Pagesa sure sense of self. But along with all these great things come regret, guilt, and shame of past events. Everyone deals with these in different ways, sometimes turning to religion and denial as coping mechanisms. In the novel The Poisonwood Bible, By Barbara Kingsolver, each member of the Price family deals with a personal guilt either gained while on their mission in the Congo or long before. This novel exemplifies the different types of guilt the Price family experienced throughout their stay inRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver2015 Words   |  9 PagesThe Poisonwood Bible, written by Barbara Kingsolver, details the experiences of a missionary family in the Congo, narrated by the Price women. Multiple questions are introduced over the course of the novel, some being answered and others not so much. One important theme in the novel is the influence of surroundings on the characters, specifically Leah Price. Leah Price arguably went through the most change and development as a result of her surroundings and environment. Her moral, psychological change

Canal Dela Reina Book Review - 2356 Words

BOOK JOURNAL (Canal de la Reina by Liwayway Arceo) The world is composed of different kinds of people. Some people are rich, others are poor. But in most countries majority of the people are the poor. 1. Write about what your feelings are after reading the opening chapter(s) of the book. How do your feelings change after reading half the book? Do you feel any differently after finishing the book? Would you read the book again? When I first read the opening chapters of the novel, I thought that it would be boring because the main character, Caridad De los Angeles, was just looking for a piece of land they own which is located in Canal de la Reina. But when I was in the middle of reading the novel, different issues were revealed and it†¦show more content†¦Even small or big people are a victim of these doings. Because of these, lives of the community are affected. Even the economy is not progressing and the management of laws in the country is not organized. 7. Are you confuse about what happened in the book? What events or characters do you not understand?Does the use of language in the book confuse you? How did your confusion affect how you liked the book? Is there anything that the author could have done to make what happened (or didn’t happen) more clear? I don’t think I was confused on what happened on the novel. The author really made a good story and it is eqasily understood. The story has a flow and that will makes you excited to read it and predict what will happen on the characters. 8. Is there an idea in the book that makes you stop and think, or prompts questions? Identify the idea and explain your responses. There is one part of the novel that I would really like to know. The part was about the buying and selling of drugs. I want to know when it can be stopped, what are the things we need to stop it, etc. I really don’t like drugs and I hate people who are selling it because many people will be affected because of it especially the families. 9. What are your favorite lines/quotes? Copy them into your reading log/journal and explain why these passages caught your attention. Junior was talking to his dad about him taking up law, how he can help people and his contribution for the betterment of the society.

Singles of 2017 by Selena Gomez free essay sample

Coming out, crazy love and diseases are all delicate topics to write about. Imagine putting them into song. Selena Gomez put all those topics into her 2017 singles. Selena brings out messages in each of the three singles and she tells a story. Her songs were huge in the sense that they carried some very personal messages along with them. She explains her struggles in her three new songs: â€Å"Bad Liar†, â€Å"Fetish†, and â€Å"Wolves†. â€Å"Bad liar† was the first of the singles she dropped in 2017 and it came out to be a very misunderstood song. The video was difficult to follow and took some time to finally understand what was happening. By watching the video multiple times I realized the song is about young, gay love. I respect Selena so much for bringing this topic up in some of her music. This song shows Selena playing all the characters which include: the high school student, her mother, her father, and her gym teacher. We will write a custom essay sample on Singles of 2017 by Selena Gomez or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It shows at the end of the video her staring at a picture of her female teacher and kissing it. I think this is such an empowering message because some people are scared to talk about the LGBTQI community. This last year has been filled with violence and disputes about gays and their rights. By her bringing this into her music and not being scared has been so inspiring to many young kids and adults. Selena says, â€Å"Trying to distract myself† in â€Å"Bad Liar†. I feel like this is implying that she doesn’t want people to find out and that she doesn’t want to feel what she does. Being gay or lesbian should not have to be something a person has to hide. It should be something that people can embrace and not conceal away. In the last 10 seconds of the video, it previews her next single, â€Å"Fetish†. Now this song was definitely one of the weirder ones. This song was released when Selena and The Weekend were dating. This song pokes at weird and strange love. In â€Å"Fetish† she sings â€Å"I’m not surprised, I sympathize. I can’t deny your appetite†. I think that’s a pretty odd thing to say in a song, but she made it work. Fans think that she wrote this song hinting that she thought The Weeknd was cheating on her. This song seems kind of devious in a way that she shades her now ex. This song picks at different types of love and how it is okay to be a little different. â€Å"Fetish† was the second song in 2017 and I think the least meaningful of the three. The message in this song isn’t very clear from the video, once again, but I could for sure understand it after I researched it. This song was released in July while â€Å"Bad Liar† was released in May a couple months earlier. Her third single of this year, â€Å"Wolvesâ € ,came in November after a long break over the rest of the summer. Selena kind of went into hiding while she was in a battle with her disease lupus. Her disease was the reason she hadn’t released any music in between â€Å"Fetish† and â€Å"Wolves†.The song â€Å"Wolves† came out in November and has increased in popularity since. This song to me has a very strong message. â€Å"Wolves† is about her struggle with lupus and to my surprise lupus in Latin means wolves. It’s crazy how that seemed to work out and the story of her is portrayed so well in this song. Nice play Selena! In the beginning of the song, it says â€Å"sweet divide, a heavy truth.† as in that her disease is her truth. It is saying that she can’t deny the fact that she has lupus and she just has to live with it and fight.I personally have only listened to the song a couple times but I have done research about the song itself. Selena was in need of a kidney transplant and in August she got it. Her life was saved by her best frie nd Francia Raisa. She is an actress and has been in Selena’s life for a while. Lupus has inspired her to write this song and I feel like she could be such an inspiration for just preserving through things. Her music is just part of her life that she shares with the world and she is more than just a singer. As this year came to an end she didn’t have any surprise singles. She rounded out the year on a good note. Selena Gomez has pushed through some of the hardest things anyone can do. From trying to get the perfect lyrics about gay love or to her war with lupus, she still seizes to amaze us. Her songs send very strong messages that most artists are scared to talk about. Selena has taught me especially how to preserve and come out on top. When faced with a difficult situation I personally have been inspired by her to just go through it. She is not just an inspiration to me, but over a hundred million people. Selena tells us that hardships will come and when they do we just have to fight and tough it out. We can achieve anything if we put our minds to it and she has definitely shown us that. â€Å"I want people to be really inspired, to believe they can do whatever they want†-Selena Gomez.