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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 The Invisible Man
Irony
Explanation and Analysis—The Irony of Marvel:
Mr. Marvel, a character initially described as something of a loner who is mentally slow and impoverished, becomes admired, wise, and so rich that he is described as a “treasure trove” at the end of the novel. This, in turn, functions as situational irony in the novel.
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Chapter 14: At Port Stowe
Explanation and Analysis—Irony of the Mariner:
In Chapter 14, at Port Stowe, the mariner tells Mr. Marvel about the story of the Invisible Man. This scene is an example of dramatic irony, since there is a large discrepancy between the mariner’s understanding of events and the reader's.
The mariner narrates to Mr. Marvel an extremely sensationalized story about the Invisible Man that he found in a newspaper. As he explains all the details of the story and speculates as to the whereabouts of the Invisible Man, Mr. Marvel gets more and more anxious—because the Invisible Man is standing right next to poor Marvel and whispering in his ear.
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Chapter 21: In Oxford Street
Explanation and Analysis—A Hymn in Oxford Street:
In Chapter 21, Griffin tries to make his way through London with his new condition. One of the obstacles that he has to traverse is a crowd surrounding a band. The song that the band plays is the hymn "When shall we see His face?" Although the lyrics are not mentioned in the text, the hymn is well known and thus functions as an allusion. The song is about being able to see the face of God after death. Here is a sampling of the lyrics:
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At the gates of glory where our loved ones stand;
Songs of vict'ry fill the skies in that hour of greeting,
Endless days, endless praise, when we see His face.
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