What is the literary definition of irony?
In simplest terms, irony occurs in literature AND in life whenever a person says something or does something that departs from what they (or we) expect them to say or do. Just as there are countless ways of misunderstanding the world [sorry kids], there are many different kinds of irony.
What is the irony in 1984?
The party maintains control with the ironic use of doublethink: the ability to think two completely contradictory thoughts at the same time, believing both to be true. The irony in 1984 by George Orwell is embodied in the party’s slogan: War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength.
What is irony English grammar?
Irony is a figure of speech in which there is a contradiction of expectation between what is said and what is really meant. It is characterized by an incongruity, a contrast, between reality and appearance.
Why are the ministries in 1984 Ironic?
They are ironic because these ministries “produce” the opposite of what you would think they would. The Ministry of Love is devoted to punishing people in terrible ways for minor things (as Winston is tortured for his crimes). The Ministry of Plenty causes (or presides over) poverty.
Why is Winston Smith ironic?
The ultimate irony is that Winston, a symbol of rebellion and protest, is ultimately bested by the system he hates and fights against, and at last is made to see the world in the topsy-turvy, nonsensical way the novel describes; this becomes clear when he admits that he loves Big Brother.
Which is the best definition of the word 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, don’t worry—it is. Irony is a broad term that encompasses three different types of irony, each with their own specific definition: verbal irony , dramatic irony, and situational irony.
How is irony used in Socratic and dramatic irony?
Socratic irony is a tool used in debating; dramatic irony is what happens when the audience realizes that Romeo and Juliet’s plans will go awry. The third, and debated, use of irony regards what’s called situational irony.
What is the difference between irony and satire?
Besides the three main types of irony described above, two other literary devices—sarcasm and satire—share a lot in common with irony: is a bitter, cutting, or mocking taunt used to denigrate a particular person, place, or thing. Satire is a form of social or political critique.
What is the dark irony of the police?
The dark irony is that, when people take to the streets to protest racism in policing, some police have used cutting-edge tools with a known racial bias against those assembled. It may be fun and it may get them paid, until oversaturation ruins our sense for irony and destroys the market for it.