IRONY

Irony

Irony is the use of words to convey a meaning opposite the literal meaning, this form of irony is closely tied in with sarcasm. Irony can also be a sharp twist in a story line where something goes contrary to plan or expectation; for example," John stayed up all night studying for his mid-term, but because he didn't get a good nights rest, he fell asleep during the test:resulting in a failing grade.

For the majority of my life I was raised by my father, a retired United States Army first sergant, and a retired New York City police officer. My mom was a beauty pagent queen, a dance teacher, and a receptionist. My mother struggled with an addiction to crack cocaine since I was in third grade, this deteriorated the relationship between my mother and father. It also strained the relationship between my father and me as daddy's little girl. At one point in time we used to go on annual cruises around New York City, I used to go with him to parties and we used to spend alot of quality time together. I belive my dad began to resent me for loving my mother, for standing by her side and believing she can do no wrong despite what I saw with my own eyes. Though he would never admit it, I also think i was a constant reminder of the pain and heart ache my mom put him through. He would constantly tell me that I was just like my mom, and he wasn't referring to my brown eyes or the smile that both my mother and I share. So I struggled not to become a self fulfilling prophecy, my mom struggled to overcome her addiction. Less than two years of being sober my mom died unexpectedly due to complications with a hernia surgery, and I became just another negative statistic: a teen parent.

The poem 'Richard Cory', by Edwin Arlington Robinson is a perfect example of the second meaning of irony. The poem is told in third person by a towns woman. Through out the poem the woman depicts Richard Cory as a well off, humble, and seemingly happy man, called him a "gentle man from sole to crown." The towns people seemed to have both adore and envy him. In the third stanza the poem says, "In fine we thought he was everything To make us wish that we were in his place." Through out the story one thinks that Richard Cory is 'living the high life' and had not a worry in the world. Until the poem takes a drastic turn. In the fourth and final stanza the author gives a glimpse of an evening in the life of an adverage towns person saying they go without the meat and 'curse the bread', while on this same summer night a man, Richard Cory, who didn't have the struggles or misfortunes of the other towns people went home and committed suicide.

Discuss the irony in 'The House that Slaves Built', by Gardiner Harris.