Previous
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
Irony
Explanation and Analysis—The Trip to Jagborough:
After Nicholas misbehaves by putting a frog in his breakfast, his aunt tries to punish him by letting his cousins and brother go to Jagborough Cove (a nearby beach) without him. In an example of situational irony, the trip to Jagborough is a miserable experience for the children and Nicholas, despite being trapped at home, has a great day (as he is able to explore the lumber room).
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—The Aunt Asking for Help:
In an example of situational irony, the aunt tells Nicholas not to enter the gooseberry garden, only to urgently request that he do so in order to help her get out of the water-tank (into which she has accidentally fallen). The irony comes across in the following exchange between the two after the aunt has called for help:
Unlock with LitCharts A+“Who’s calling?” he asked.
“Me,” came the answer from the other side of the wall, “didn’t you hear me? I’ve been looking for you in the gooseberry garden, and I’ve slipped into the rain-water tank. Luckily there’s no water in it, but the sides are slippery and I can’t get out. Fetch the little ladder from under the cherry tree –”
“I was told I wasn’t to go into the gooseberry garden,” said Nicholas promptly.
Related Themes:
