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Definition of Dramatic Irony
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given situation, and that of the... read full definition
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given... read full definition
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a... read full definition
Chapter 12
Explanation and Analysis—Lorenzo's Affiliation:
In Chapter 12, Cummins introduces dramatic irony by providing only the reader with knowledge of Lorenzo's Los Jardineros affiliation. In the hostel, Luca sees Lorenzo's tattoo:
When he straightens to follow Padre Rey down the corridor, Luca notes the shape of a sickle tattoo with three bloodred droplets on the blade jutting out from the man’s sock. It’s carved into the calf muscle of his right leg. Luca doesn’t know what the tattoo means, exactly, but he doesn’t need to understand it for it to amplify his sense of dread.
Luca doesn't know the meaning of this tattoo. When he returns to Lydia, he is too rattled by the event to explain what happened in words, so he doesn't tell her about the mark. Lydia, on the other hand, does know the meaning of this symbol but doesn't know that Lorenzo has the tattoo. Only the reader, then, has access to both pieces of information: the presence and meaning of Lorenzo's tattoo. Only they can thus infer that Lorenzo is part of Los Jardineros.
This affiliation means that Lorenzo answers to Javier and might be actively looking for Lydia and Luca, possibly to kill them. The dramatic irony increases the feeling of suspense and danger. The reader knows that Lydia and Luca's lives are at risk—and the reader also knows that Lydia and Luca do not know and so can't take preventative or self-protective measures. Without any way to warn them of the danger they're in, the reader must read on in anticipation of a confrontation.
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