The Ransom Of Red Chief Situational Irony

Situational irony is a key factor for a dramatic, two sided story. To use situational irony tells the reader to expect the unexpected, to think beyond enemy lines. Just like in the thrilling short stories in O. Henry’s “The Necklace” and Guy De Maupassant’s “The Ransom of Redchief.” Situational irony shows that things do not always go the way you think they will. But why does the author make the reader almost feel sorry for the antagonists in the story. Most of all, the author has to show the character’s emotions in a way that almost feels real. The definition of situational irony is, irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what is intended. Therefore, authors need to have many situations involving

In “The Ransom of Red Chief” by O. Henry, there are many examples of situational irony. For example, when Johnny Dorset is feeling the opposite of what a kid that was just kidnapped would be emotionally feeling. Johnny plays a game of pretend with his kidnappers, Bill and Sam, and only one person out of the three are having fun. The game includes hurting Bill until he finally loses his mind and cannot take anymore of Johnny’s games. He is not missing home, not begging for mercy, but what he is doing is having fun playing rough with the people who kidnapped him. Instead of hoping to be back home, he is hoping to never go back home. They ask Johnny after they are done with playing his games, ‘“would you like to go home?’...’I don’t have any fun at home...You won’t take me back home, snake-eye, will you”’ (4)? Johnny is enjoying the company of Bill and Sam. He could stay with them for the rest of his life and he could care less. What would his family think if

For instance, when Mathilde pretends to be rich at the party and loses her friend Jeanne’s diamond necklace. Mathilde tells her husband, “We must see about replacing the diamonds” (6). Mathilde and her husband have looked all around town, and have yet to find the necklace. They chose the decision of of not telling Jeanne, or Mrs. Forestier, that they have lost her necklace. Another example of situational irony i “The Necklace” is when MAthilde is told the daimond necklace she replaced was imitation. Madam Forestier exclaims, ‘“Oh my poor Mathilde! But mine was imitation. It was worth at the most five hundred francs”’ (8)! Mathilde was in poverty for ten years. While her husband was working she would go up and down the stairs getting water for her apartment. The reader could either feel sympathy for Mathilde or want to laugh at