Irony trumps everything!

Literary Tools
These ideas are inspired by How To Read Literature Like A Professor.

Irony
1.Irony: difference between what you expect to happen & what actually happens
2.Irony can be: comic, tragic, wry, or perplexing
3.Irony trumps everything else when trying to find a theme or meaning


One of my favorite movies that is all about irony is Raising Arizona. Nothing you expect to happen happens and most of the symbols that we have come to rely on are thrown out the door. For example a law abiding police officer stealing a child, but being furious at her husband for stealing the diapers. I just saw the movie Something's Gotta Give and it was also full of irony. It takes the traditional romantic comedy and turns it on its ear. The lead doesn't end up with the cute young leading lady, but the mature self assured independent woman.

My favorite ironic play is the one mentioned in the book, Waiting for Godot. Heroes with a journey and a clear path that they refuse to take confuses us until we figure out the irony of the situation. In My Fair Lady, Mr Higgins may not see the irony in his situation, but we do. He created a lady, then was upset when she actually acted like one.