Examples Of Situational Irony

Situational Irony

A reader is often surprised by a change in a story, good or bad. An author uses a tool called situational irony to create plot twists in the story, and surprise the reader. Situational irony also creates a variety of emotions, other than just the element of surprise. For instance, the author of “Ransom of Red Chief,” O. Henry, uses situational irony to set a tone of humor in the story. “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, has situational irony in it to create sympathy in the reader. From these two stories, it is easy to tell that situational irony is used by authors to affect the reader’s feelings.

In “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, situational irony makes the reader feel justice, and then pity for the main character. For

Henry, situational irony creates a humorous tone within the reader. For instance, an example of situational irony in the story is how they kidnap Johnny, Red Chief, and want to return him to his home. As Johnny is kidnapped, he becomes a nuisance to the two men. The men do not know how much longer they can put up with Johnny, “One more night of this kid will send me straight to a bed in Bedlam” (53). Johnny puts the two men through misery and torture, not the other way around. The situational irony creates a sense of humor in the reader. Another example of situational irony in “Ransom of Redchief” is instead of getting money for returning Johnny, the two men have to pay for him. The two men write a letter demanding fifteen hundred dollars for when they return Johnny to his home. Instead, the men pay to return Johnny, “You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and I agree to take him off your hands” (52). The two men have a worse time kidnapping Johnny than he did. This scene is the situational irony that sets the tone of humor in the story. Situational irony is very important to a story like “Ransom of Red Chief” by O. Henry and the reader's