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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 The Monkey’s Paw
Part I
Explanation and Analysis—Arabian Nights:
When learning about the supposed abilities of the monkey’s paw, Mrs. White compares the item's magic to something one would read about in Arabian Nights, alluding to a collection of Middle Eastern folktales:
“Hold it up in your right hand and wish aloud,” said the sergeant-major, “but I warn you of the consequences.”
“Sounds like the Arabian Nights” said Mrs White, as she rose and began to set the supper. “Don’t you think you might wish for four pairs of hands for me?”
Related Themes:
Part II
Explanation and Analysis—Two Hundred Pounds:
In an example of situational irony, Herbert encourages his father to use the monkey’s paw to wish for two hundred pounds and then dies in a tragic factory accident the next day, resulting in the company giving his parents a two-hundred-pound payout. While Herbert expects that the wish will lead his parents to happiness (as they could pay off their mortgage), it actually leads them to deep despair (as their beloved son is now dead).
The irony of this turn of events comes across in the following passage, in which Mr. White asks the representative of Herbert's company how much they would receive in compensation for their son’s death:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Mr White dropped his wife’s hand, and rising to his feet, gazed with a look of horror at his visitor. His dry lips shaped the words, “How much ?”
“Two hundred pounds,” was the answer.
Unconscious of his wife’s shriek, the old man smiled faintly, put out his hands like a sightless man, and dropped, a senseless heap, to the floor.
Related Themes:
