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Situational Irony
Explanation and Analysis—Jack’s Mother’s Artistry:
After Jack’s white friend Mark demeans Jack’s mother’s handiwork—describing her origami animals as looking like they're made “from trash”—Jack rejects his mother’s Chinese heritage, ultimately hiding the animals she made him in a box underneath his bed. In an example of situational irony, Jack learns years after his mother’s death (via his girlfriend Susan) that his mother was an exceptional origami artist, as seen in the following passage:
Susan found the shoe box in the attic. The paper menagerie, hidden in the uninsulated darkness of the attic for so long, had become brittle, and the bright wrapping paper patterns had faded.
“I’ve never seen origami like this,” Susan said. “Your mom was an amazing artist.”
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Explanation and Analysis—The Ending:
The ending of the story—in which Jack re-embraces his Chinese heritage and realizes how deeply he loved his mother—is a tragic example of situational irony. After spending almost the entire story rejecting his mother (and her Chinese language and culture), including choosing to go back to college instead of spending time with her in the final days of her life, he surprises readers by getting in touch with his love for her years after her death.
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