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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 Song of Solomon
Part 1, Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Frozen Heat:
In the following example of both situational irony and oxymoron from Chapter 1, the narrator examines Macon Dead II's relationship with his wife and daughters:
Under the frozen heat of his glance they tripped over doorsills and dropped the salt cellar into the yolks of their poached eggs. The way he mangled their grace, wit, and self-esteem was the single excitement of their days.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Unsettling Love:
In the following example of situational irony from Chapter 1, the narrator reflects on Doctor Foster's readiness to marry Ruth off to Macon Dead II. This readiness stems not from his excitement about Macon, nor his wish to see his daughter happy. Rather, Foster's eagerness arises from a relational discomfort he feels with his daughter:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Fond as he was of his only child, useful as she was in his house since his wife had died, lately he had begun to chafe under her devotion. Her steady beam of love was unsettling, and she had never dropped those expressions of affection that had been so lovable in her childhood. The good-night kiss was itself a masterpiece of slow-wittedness on her part and discomfort on his.
Part 1, Chapter 9
Explanation and Analysis—Corinthians's Profession:
In a rather bleak example of situational irony, despite being college-educated and raised by one of the wealthiest Black families in her town, Corinthians is still forced into one of the only available professions for Black women during the first half of the 20th century—working as a maid. Note the narrator's analysis of Corinthians' plight, from Chapter 9:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Unfit for any work other than the making of red velvet roses, she had a hard time finding employment befitting her degree. The three years she had spent in college, a junior year in France, and being the granddaughter of the eminent Dr. Foster should have culminated in something more elegant than the two uniforms that hung on Miss Graham’s basement door. That all these advantages didn’t was still incredible to her.
Related Themes:
