David Foster Wallace once said: “The great thing about irony is that it splits things apart, gets up
above them so we can see the flaws and hypocrisies and duplicates.” Situational irony catches the
reader by surprise with different types of emotions. Also, it creates an unexpected twist. It shocks its
audience but still leaves them wondering. For instance, O. Henry, the author of “The Ransom of Red
Chief,” provides humor in order to create irony to mess with the reader’s emotions. While Guy de
Maupassant creates an emotional roller coaster in “The Necklace” by using whimsical actions and
sympathy. Any author can show situational irony create affection between the story and the reader.
In the story, “The Ransom of Red Chief,” by O. Henry, irony shows up to create a
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Red Chief’s father requests “you bring Johnny home and pay me
two hundred fifty dollars in cash and I agree to take him off your hands” (52). This comment introduces
irony with humor that twists the story, and the goal of the kidnappers. O. Henry’s story, “The Ransom
of Red Chief,” creates a farce comedy to tickle the reader's funny bone.
The story, “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, shows irony that creates a pitiful and
surprising tale. For instance, Mathilde wants to be rich but she becomes poor. Throughout the story,
Mathilde complains and wishes that she is rich like her friend Jeanne. Her life is fine living in a simple
apartment with a maid and a hardworking husband. But she is still not satisfied in middle class. Soon
after she declines to poor. Mathilde explains to Jeanne “‘I brought you another one [necklace] just like
it. And for the last ten years we [Mathilde and her husband] have been paying for it. You realize it
wasn’t easy for us; we had no money… Well, it’s paid for at last, and I’m glad indeed’” (8). After
paying off the necklace, her dreams of being rich disappears like her money. Another example of