ipl-logo

Situational Irony In O Henry's The Pearl

841 Words4 Pages

O. Henry has a very unique writing style and uses situational irony and plot twists. The Ransom of Red Chief, After 20 Years, and The Gift of the Magi are a few stories in which he puts his creative thinking and writing skills to work and includes plot twists and situational irony. The Ransom of Red Chief is a story about 2 men who hold a boy for random. ] The author states on page 1, "...when I should have been abstracting the fifteen hundred dollars from the box under the tree...Bill was counting out two hundred and fifty dollars into Dorset 's hand." Situational irony is seen when the father of the kidnapped child asks for money to take the boy back instead of him paying the kidnappers to bring back the boy. This is considered situational irony because readers would …show more content…

John Steinbeck has an interesting writing style and is able to convey his thoughts through his book The Pearl. When an author comments on a social event it is called social commentary. The Pearl is about a man named Kino who finds an expensive pearl that brings troubles for him. For example Steinbeck had used social commentary when, Kino started imagining what he would own after he sold the pearl, he kept going on and on, even when it started getting ridiculous. "For it is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want more." page 25. Social commentary is used by Steinbeck when he says that people are never content with what they have. Another time when the author had used this style of writing was when Kino had realized how rich he was and how the neighbors had begun to worry for him. "All of the neighbors hoped that the sudden wealth would not turn his head, would not make a rich man of him." page 43. Since the sudden wealth can make people selfish or greedy, Steinbeck comments on this through the life of his neighbors. Using his thoughtful, interesting style John Steinbeck is able to convey messages about the world 's complex problems through his book, The

Show More
Related
1639 Words | 7 Pages

In comparing “I” to “we”, Steinbeck comments that “the quality of owning freezes you forever into “I,” and cuts you off forever from the “we” (152). When a person has something, they worry about their personal possessions and consider others needs but neglect to share their wealth and their mindset. They feel owning a job or their home makes them sperate from others in their struggle to stay in positions of wealth.. During the dust bowl many instances of this selfishness show. In the farmland, a few take what they can when losing their homes.

Read More
224 Words | 1 Pages

What is irony? The dictionary definition of irony is a difference in what is expected and what happens. The situational irony in the Ransom of Red Chief creates humor and develops a theme by Red Chief's father being paid to take his own son back. The irony in the story is entertaining by developing an unexpected ending. In the ending, the kidnappers, Sam and Bill, pay the father to take his son back.

Read More
912 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout history, authors utilize the written word to either expose grievous faults within society or celebrate the feats of society. John Steinbeck is certainly no exception as he has constructed many pieces which serve to enlighten the audience on the accomplishments and faults of society. The novel, The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck attempts to expose faults within society which include prejudice and the overwhelming desire for greed. He does so through his use of allusions, diction, and characterization. John Steinbeck in the novel, The Grapes of Wrath, attempts to expose one of society’s most detrimental flaws--prejudice through the use of repetition and characterization.

Read More
1177 Words | 5 Pages

John Steinbeck has a style of writing unparalleled in history and in the modern world. In the same way, his philosophies are also unparalleled, with his focus in socialism not extending to communism or abnegation of spiritualism. His ideal world is utopian, holding the dust bowl migrant at the same level as the yeoman farmer was held in Jeffersonian times. In The Grapes of Wrath Steinbeck Steinbeck, who posses impregnable technique, conveys his message of a group working tirelessly for the betterment of the community.

Read More
716 Words | 3 Pages

Rhetorical Analysis Essay People’s realities are shaped by their experiences of failing while trying to achieve their dreams. For years people have shaped and/or destroyed their reality by trying to catch their dreams. People strive everyday to achieve their dreams, but in reality they never will. John Steinbeck uses many rhetorical appeals to help the reader understand how the American Dream can be with his experiences using ethos, paradox, and repetition.

Read More
1121 Words | 5 Pages

He advocated for the modification of the treatment of the disabled and the policies of the economy in America during the 1930´s through his elaborate characterization and the plight of the working poor. Yet, he followed his own social agenda, promoting the poor treatment of blacks and oppression of women. While Steinbeck is able to use his novel as a means to educate his readers, he chooses what change he will promote and that is his

Read More
921 Words | 4 Pages

Unfortunately, many fail to do so because they waste money at their whore-houses. In conclusion, Steinbeck uses Crooks to portray his beliefs about harsh reality and his experiences have caused him to think in this way. After analyzing this novel, it is clear that Steinbeck touches upon the fact that the reality of a situation will always pop up when someone gains aspiration and hopes that their dreams will come true. There are many people in this world who made their dreams come true and there are many morals that claim that hard work leads to success and achievement. However, the story that Steinbeck wrote expresses that even if it's nice to stay in the happy dreamland, the real world problems will always be shadowing

Read More
870 Words | 4 Pages

Steinbeck also evokes feelings of compassion through his description of a young boy who “went into convulsions and died” due to a weak diet of “fruit, beans, and little else,” for the boy suffered a premature death, and there was little he could do to change his fate

Read More
1696 Words | 7 Pages

Steinbeck argues that while nature exists (but is neither bad nor good), humans can create good and become strong by working together. He shifts from the Joad family to greater human society to demonstrate his views. Jim Casy postulates, “‘But when they’re all workin’ together, not one fella for another fella, but one fella kind of harnessed to the whole shebang-- that’s right, that’s holy’” (Steinbeck 110). He explores the idea of strength in numbers, the idea that people are stronger when they work toward a common goal than solely for their own interests.

Read More
827 Words | 4 Pages

“The danger is here, for two men are not as lonely and perplexed as one... This is the beginning--from ‘I’ to ‘we’” (158). The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is the epic journey of the Joad family to California, and the struggles of all kinds of people during the Dust Bowl. Throughout the novel, John Steinbeck provides a pervasive social commentary on the function of human cooperation and noncooperation.

Read More
685 Words | 3 Pages

Steinbeck is showing that people ultimately will protect their best interest at any cost to

Read More
186 Words | 1 Pages

Steinbeck’s lesson on coming together in

Read More
1318 Words | 6 Pages

Tiffany Do Period 1 October 23, 2015 Imagine living a life, where you were given all the power in the world. How would you feel? What would you do with that power? In the novel Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck talks about how, in society, everyone has some power, whether it be big or small. Given that power, there are some people who will use it for their own selfish needs, or there are other people who use that power to help others.

Read More
1187 Words | 5 Pages

John Steinbeck plays a significant role in the literary works of the American society because of the unique attributes of language and art that he applied to his social perception of society during his era. Being born of a middle-class family in the February of 1902, John was inspired into the arts by his mother, a teacher, he later took on six years of literature and creative courses at Standford without obtaining a degree. After college, the young Steinbeck wrote his first novel, Cup of Gold, in 1929, but it was the novel Tortilla Flat in 1935 that gave Steinbeck his successful debut. His published works shaped many social and politic aspects of life in the 20th century. He was known as a “realist” or a “naturalist” when it came to how

Read More
516 Words | 3 Pages

Henry uses situational irony to convey his theme in the story “The Ransom of Red Chief”. Two thieves change from wanting to hold a kidnapped boy for ransom to instead giving the boy back to his father, along with $250.00. They quickly realize that the boy, nicknamed “Red Chief”, is not who they expect him to be, and their whole kidnapping scheme consequently does not go as planned. Eventually, Bill Driscoll, one of the thieves, begs to let the boy go back home even though they have to pay the boy’s father $250.00. Bill says, “You ain’t going to let this chance go, are you?”

Read More

More about Situational Irony In O Henry's The Pearl

Related Topics

Open Document