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Imagery
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 God Sees the Truth But Waits
Irony
Explanation and Analysis—Wife's Worries:
In the story's central example of irony, when Aksyonov's wife articulates her dream to him, Aksyonov is certain that she merely believes he will fall back into the habit of drinking. He decides to go to the Fair regardless and even begins to laugh at her, as though her fears are silly:
Aksyonov laughed and retorted: ‘You're really scared I might start drinking at the Fair, aren't you? [...] Don't worry, I'll do some good business there, make a nice little profit and then I can bring you back some expensive presents!'
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Innocence:
Although no one in Aksyonov's life understands him as such, he is, in fact, innocent. This discrepancy creates a painful sense of dramatic irony for the reader as they watch him lose his family, business, and freedom for a crime he did not commit. After the Tsar turns Aksyonov's petition down, and his own wife has asked him if he truly did murder the merchant, Aksyonov loses faith in the justness of both the law and his loved ones:
Unlock with LitCharts A+'Obviously, no one except God can know the truth… only from Him should I ask for help, from Him alone can I expect mercy.'
Related Themes:
