Chapter 18 describes how literature writers use ironies and sarcasm to change the plot and meaning of the passage.Nearly every writer uses irony in their works as it adds richness to the literally dish. Also it makes keeps us on our toes as we never know whats going to happen and makes us dig through many layers of possible meanings a, thinking what the writer really wants us to tell. Irony works because the audience usually understands something that eludes one or more of the characters. While we normally think of verbal irony with the term irony , in literature we focus more on situational and dramatic irony. Some authors use irony frequently, but irony, as a writer’s choice, doesn’t work for every author. People who read less critically may not pick up on all ironies.
Irony is when lets say a road plays on our expectations and then turns them around.For example ,when most people hear the word “road” they often relate it to journeys, quests and personal growth. But what would happen if the hero’s would never take the road or perhaps the road doesn't lead anywhere. One example Thomas C Foster uses to show how irony dominates all other aspects of a novel is “Waiting for Godot" written by Samuel Beckett, where he creates two tramps and plants them beside a road they will never take. Every day they wait for someone called Godot to show up but he never does. They never go on the road and the road doesn't bring anything interesting their way. However after a while we figure out that the road does exists for the trams to take. This shows the reader that they are not living the life their meant to live. This wouldn't work if we didn't expect them to on the road .Irony only works because the audience usually understands something that eludes one or more of the characters.Since Irony can be comic, tragic, wry, or perplexing so it trumps everything when a meaning or theme needs to be found.
Another example is when In chapter five of this book “It's More Than Just Rain or Snow or Springtime” we learn that Rain has so many meanings to it and different associations, but even those can’t cover the literary possibilities involved with using irony. In general Rain is often used to cleanse characters of their former lives and is often associated with new life because of baptisms being performed in holy water. However Thomas C Foster uses another example (Ernest Hemingway’s A farewell to arms)to prove this wrong which shows that Irony trumps everything. .In the end of this masterpiece the hero of the novel walks out into the winter rain after that comes right after a false spring , his loving woman has died giving birth to their child. No one expected this as of the readers expected for new life and everyone being happy. However once again none of those expectations apply hear , to be honest its the opposite as instead of the mum and new born loving each other they kill each other. In other words Irony is a “deflection from expectations.” This shows that Even though we spent hours reading about all of the symbolic and metaphorical possibilities in stories, a singe ironic or sarcastic thing/statement that could come along at the end of the story, completely overshadowing the previously learned metaphorical meanings