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Definition of Irony
Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are. If this seems like a loose definition... read full definition
Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are. If this... read full definition
Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how... read full definition
Key Examples in A Visit from the Goon Squad
Chapter 2: The Gold Cure
Explanation and Analysis—Bennie's List:
Throughout Chapter 2, Bennie writes a list of the humiliating moments from his past that occur to him at random during his meeting with the Stop/Go sisters. Bennie's list inspires moments of dramatic irony by highlighting the gap between what is known by the reader and what is known by his assistant Sasha, a peripheral character.
The reader follows Bennie's point of view throughout Chapter 2, receiving full access to those encounters that cause him inward embarrassment while doing business with the Stop/Go sisters. Bennie's "shame memories," such as an awkward kiss with a nun, a slip-up at an awards ceremony, and a bathroom run-in with his date all creep into Bennie's mind—and likewise become known to the reader. Sasha, however, remains unaware. She notices Bennie's list of memories as he records them:
"What do you keep scribbling on that ticket?" Sasha asked. Bennie handed it to her, his reluctance to have the list seen by human eyes overwhelming him a half second late. To his horror, she began reading it aloud. [...] "Not bad," she said. "They're titles, right?"
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Explanation and Analysis—The Little Red Box:
The ending of Chapter 2 features a humorous moment of dramatic irony when Bennie, Sasha, and Chris drive home from their meeting with the Stop/Go sisters.
Throughout their meeting, Bennie has been adding gold flakes to his coffee for its supposed aphrodisiac properties. The little red box carrying the gold makes numerous appearances across the chapter. At the end of the day, however, Bennie loses the red box and searches for it determinedly:
Unlock with LitCharts A+He began tapping his pockets, but the little red box was nowhere to be found. "Here, I've got it," Sasha said. "You dropped it coming out of the recording room." She was doing that more and more, finding things he'd misplaced—sometimes before Bennie even knew they were missing. It added to the almost trancelike dependence he felt on her.
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