Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Post #3- Irony

Irony: Statement or situation in a novel that appears to be one thing, but is actually the opposite of its literary meaning. The statements are contradicted but what they actually appear to be later on. Irony is an important part of an author's writing because it gives the reader something unexpected. It is with the use of irony where a book becomes interesting and surprising. For example, in 1984, the Ministry of Love is technically the Ministry of  'hatred.' This ministry is a place where it tortures the citizens if they do anything that would threaten the government's power. If a person did a crime against the government, even if it was just inner thoughts, they would get sent to the Ministry of Love to get punished for their "crime." This way they assured the people that the Ministry of Love is a place where people would get tortured not because the government hates them, but because the government loves them and wants them to be a better and loyal citizen like everyone else.
Another example would be like this picture below. It's just a funny irony I found:

6 comments:

  1. I now understand irony a little bit better! Thanks Donna! :) I understand it better because of the truth behind your statement that The Ministry of Love is where they torture people.
    Another example of irony is when someone says I fixed it! and it falls apart seconds later...

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  2. I think this also links into the oxymoron of tough love and the paradox of punishment. One may say they 'love' someone (such an ambiguous term) and yet their cruetly and brutality does not reflect this care they have towards another.

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  3. Great example from the book! i didn even think about that. also sarcasim is an example of irony. but pretty much everyone knows that...

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  4. I agree totally with what Margaret said and Haley too, paradox oxymoron and sarcasm are all kind of alike in that they all contain some kind of self-contradiction. Also, from the book there's the ministry of peace, which deal with the wars in Oceania and the ministry of truth which has to do with the news and that's all censored revised and lies.
    Good post Donna! haha :)

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  5. This post is very helpful in explaining irony. The example is very clear and makes sense. Another example of irony is in Their Eyes were Watching God when Janie prays to God for a better life and gets it with Tea Cake, but is taken away by God when he gets sick.

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  6. Good example Donna, I agree too! I think that irony is good in a book because it keeps the reader engaged in a different way, it also makes the reader pay close attention.
    I like your picture(:

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