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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 Harrison Bergeron
Irony
Explanation and Analysis—Forced "Equality":
Vonnegut uses situational irony to expose the faults of absolute equality. The speaker explains that the government prohibits anyone from being smarter, better-looking, stronger, or quicker than anyone else. This supposed equality is enforced by the United States Handicapper General through vigilance, including violence against rebelling individuals. In turn, Vonnegut exposes the flaw of equality by totalitarian enforcement: all individuals might be physically and mentally equal to each other, but the entire population lives under the subjection of the federal government. The irony, then, is that equality is often pursued alongside freedom and independence, but forced equality actually inhibits the freedom of people in this society.
Related Themes:
