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Bryson's Use Of Situational Irony

190 Words1 Pages
In this passage, Bryson uses situational irony to poke fun at the security guard and create a humorous tone. The "cross and officious" (Bryson 265) security guard uses an arrogant tone towards Bryson, but his argument is based on a falsehood. When the security guard tells Bryson that a sign says that the area is private property, one would expect a sign to proclaim it; however, no sign exists. This irony – a contrast of expectations and reality – characterizes the security guard as clueless; how could the guard not see that no sign existed? This apparent lack of knowledge also makes the guard seem stupid and non-credible. This, in turn, creates humor when the reader laughs at the security guard’s lack of knowledge, which is absolutely absurd.
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