Weeks 12 & 13- Irony

Irony occurs when a meaning or outcome is the opposite of its original meaning or intention. DO NOT confuse this with the term "coincidence" which is when two things happen at the same time that you may or may not have expected. SOME instances of coincidence can be ironic, but not all of them are. There are various subcategories of irony but we're going to focus on the following three: dramatic, verbal, and situational. Dramatic irony +When there is miscommunication in a book, movie, or play and the audience knows more than the characters do. EXAMPLES +A horror movie where you find yourself yelling at the victim, "don't do in there!" because you know the killer's waiting. +In Romeo and Juliet, we (the audience) knew that Juliet wasn't really dead, but Romeo didn't know. When he committed suicide, we knew it was a mistake, but as audience members all we could do is watch. Verbal Irony +When words express something contrary to truth or someone says the opposite of what they really feel or mean. It often comes in the form of simile, metaphor, and or sarcasm. EXAMPLES +I need you like I need a nail in my foot. +That waitress was as friendly as a hungry tiger. +This bed is as soft as a brick. Situational irony +When the outcome of a certain situation is completely different than what was initially expected. EXAMPLES +A fire truck getting set on fire +An ambulance running someone over because they were in a rush to save someone +You study all night for a test which causes you to be too tired to perform well on the test. +Training so hard for a competition that you injure yourself before you can compete.