In the short stories “Identities” by W.D. Valgardson and “Sentry” by Fredric Brown, situational irony is used to reveal a theme of assumptions. Valgardson’s use of irony in his short story, “Identities” illustrates how people are quick to judge. The protagonist assumes dressing similar to the gang members would ensure his safety, however, ironically, “the police were trained to see an unshaved man in blue jeans as a potential criminal” (Valgardson, 13). The irony reveals the negative effects of prejudgment made by the protagonist and the officer, which leads to the death of the central character. The short story, “Sentry” by Fredric Brown also uses situational irony to acknowledge the fact that assumptions are always made. Most, if not all