Harlem Shuffle

by Colson Whitehead

Harlem Shuffle: Dramatic Irony 1 key example

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
Part 2, Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Adam Clayton Powell Jr.:

Harlem Shuffle is full of historical and cultural allusions that evoke the time period. While many of these are simply references that are mentioned in passing by the narrator, a well-known figure briefly appears in the events of the narrative. When Adam Clayton Powell Jr. attends the Harlem Small Business Association at the start of Part 2, Whitehead plays with dramatic irony to amuse his modern reader.