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Irony
Explanation and Analysis—Marian's Fainting Spell:
In an example of situational irony from Chapter 29, Marian apologizes profusely to Carlos for fainting while they were out:
It was when we were crossing the street toward my hotel that she fainted. I gathered her in my arms, put her on my bed, and called a doctor.... I could not sleep when Marian was gone. I went to the doctor’s office early the next morning. Marian was sitting up in bed. “It was foolish of me to faint last night,” she said apologetically. “It was such a lovely evening.”
It is a contradiction for Marian to apologize for fainting when it is something she could not help, and the fact that she does so contributes to a larger situational irony in the book. The irony shows the role that women are expected to play in the world of the novel: they are supposed to apologize for things out of their control and always accommodate the men in their world. Later, Marian reveals to Carlos that she is dying and tries to use her death to inspire Carlos instead of centering her own life and experiences.
Marian refers to her fainting as "foolish," as though it was a conscious choice for her to faint, while in reality it was out of her control. Contrast this with the actions of the men in the novel, who often go on drinking binges and are not held to the same judgment by society. It is ironic that Marian and other women have been taught to feel guilty for that which they cannot control while men in the novel can consciously do things for which they are not held responsible.
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