Winter Dreams
by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Winter Dreams: Situational Irony 1 key example

Section 6
Explanation and Analysis—Judy’s Marriage:

After mistreating and being unfaithful to her romantic partners for years, Judy ends up in a marriage with an unkind and unfaithful man—an example of situational irony. Dexter’s friend Devlin reveals this ironic twist to Dexter in the final section of the story:

“Well, that’s—I told you all there is to it. He treats her like the devil. Oh, they’re not going to get divorced or anything. When he’s particularly outrageous she forgives him. In fact, I’m inclined to think she loves him. She was a pretty girl when she first came to Detroit.”