All 11 Uses
irony
in
A Bend in the River
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- Metty was there that day; but Ferdinand, when he told me I wasn't to show him anything, wasn't speaking ironically.
p. 43.4ironically = saying one thing, while meaning the opposite
- He never spoke ironically.
p. 43.4
- He didn't understand irony.
p. 52.1irony = saying one thing while meaning something else
- Yet there was something ironical about the whole thing. The action which had drawn that softness from Ferdinand was the simple gesture of a man from the coast whose family had lived close, too close, to their servants, once their slaves, descendants of people snatched from this part of Africa. Ferdinand would have been outraged if he knew.
p. 83.9 *ironical = when what happens is very different than what might be expected
- Remembering what Indar had told me, I ignored the irony in her voice, and felt that she was speaking with privilege, the privilege of someone close to the President.
p. 126.5irony = enjoying the humor in things being very different than would have been expected
- No embarrassment or playing it down, though; no irony now.
p. 128.6irony = saying one thing while meaning something else
- When she gave him back the tickets he said, "Thank you, citoyenne." He spoke without irony; the woman's frown was replaced by a smile. And that seemed to have been the main point of the exercise—the woman wanted to be shown respect and to be called citoyenne.
p. 160.3
- "The President is coming this afternoon. Wouldn't you like to see him?" She was a local woman. Was there irony in her voice?
p. 276.7irony = saying one thing while meaning the opposite
- "The President is coming this afternoon. Wouldn't you like to see him?" ... I was careful to take all irony out of [my voice]. I said, "I would like to, citizen. But I have to go."
p. 276.8 *
- Metty had taken to calling me patron, and in the presence of a third person, could make it sound ironical.†
p. 43.4
- I was beginning to recognize her irony.†
p. 128.1
Definitions:
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(1)
(irony as in: situational irony) when what happens is very different than what might be expected; or when things are together that seem like they don't belong together -- especially when amusing or an entertaining coincidenceThis is sometimes referred to as "situational irony." The term is especially appropriate when actions have consequences opposite to those intended.
The expression ironic smile, generally references someone smiling at situational irony.
All forms of irony involve the perception that things are not what they might seem. -
(2)
(irony as in: verbal irony) saying one thing, while meaning the opposite or something else -- usually as humor or sarcasmThis is sometimes referred to as "verbal irony." Typically, the speaker says one thing but means the opposite, and the tone of voice or the context of the situation makes the true, contradictory meaning clear.
All forms of irony involve the perception that things are not what they might seem. -
(3)
(irony as in: dramatic irony) When the meaning of a situation is understood by one person, but not by another—especially when a reader or audience knows what characters of a story do not, as in Romeo and JulietAll forms of irony involve the perception that things are not what they are said to be or what they seem.
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(4)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) Less commonly, Socratic irony is where someone pretends ignorance to get another to think through a problem. This is named after the Socratic method of teaching.
Less commonly still, some also refer to romantic irony as when an author reminds the audience that the fictional words is the author's creation and will play out as the author desires.