“The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive.”
An astronomer is scared of the dark. A police station being burgled. A marriage counsellor is filing for divorce. It is often easier to think of examples of irony rather than come up with a concrete definition. As a literary tool, irony is often misunderstood. Whilst many of us learned about it thanks to our school teachers, it can be hard for a writer to know exactly what irony means, and how to make use of it. Nevertheless, irony remains one of the most effective tools for adding substance to a story. Which is why we here at What We Reading thought we would attempt to answer: ‘What is irony’ by running you through the types of irony found in literature and providing you with all the tips you need to begin using it correctly in your writing!
What Is Irony
First up, what do we mean by the term ‘irony’?
Irony can be funny and lighthearted, or sombre and tragic. The definition of irony is when the actual meaning of a word is the opposite of what is shown or an outcome is different from what would be expected. In writing, irony is a moment where dialogue or the plot goes against what the audience expects.
To put it more plainly, irony is the contrast between ‘what appears to be’ and ‘what is’.
Authors use irony first off to add authenticity to their work and depict real life. Our lives are filled with competing ideas and realities, and irony allows us to talk about these contradictions. As a literary technique, it can also be used to juxtapose different ideas in an author’s work. By departing from what characters and readers expect, not only do you make your story more unpredictable and compelling, but it allows opposite critiques and ideals to sit side-by-side.
Differences Between Irony And Sarcasm
Both sarcasm and irony come across as dry, satirical statements about scenarios, which can make it easy to confuse the two.
Sarcasm is a conversational device where someone says the opposite of what they mean. It can only be used in dialogue. Coming from the Greek for ‘cutting flesh’, sarcasm is all about addressing someone’s faults which is why it can only be used derisively. For example, claiming that someone is ‘on top of things’ when you know they’re lazy or disorganised. Sarcasm can be both mean and insulting, as well as funny banter, provided both parties recognise it as such.
The difference between irony vs. sarcasm is that irony is an event, statement or idea that is contradictory, whereas sarcasm is a verbal bit of dialogue towards someone’s flaws ironically.
4 Types Of Irony In Writing
There are several types of irony found across the literary world, with each differing from one another.
Vocal irony: verbal irony is where something is spoken but a contrasting meaning is intended. An example of this would be to claim: ‘wonderful weather we’re having!’ whilst walking through a thunderstorm.
Situational irony: situational irony comes into play when writers subvert an outcome that is expected. Examples of this would be a parking warden finishing a shift and receiving a ticket or a librarian shouting across a library.
Comic irony: comic irony is where a writer uses irony to satirise and humorous effect. An example of this could be an anti-piracy group stealing a photo for their campaign about piracy.
Dramatic irony: dramatic irony comes from when the audience knows something that a character in a story doesn’t. Also known as tragic irony, a writer will let the audience know something to raise tension and suspense. An example of this is famously in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet where Romeo kills himself, believing Juliet to be dead, when the audience knows she is just sleeping.
5 Tips For Writing Irony
Irony can be one of the most effective literary devices for a writer. Here are some of our tips for writing irony.
What Works For You
Irony is everywhere in the worlds of books, films and television. Pay attention to what is ironic in some of your favourite stories and why it works. An example could be in The Wizard of Oz, where the great and powerful Oz is revealed to be just an ordinary and Dorothy, who had been searching for his help, had the power to return home the whole time. Take the time to consider how you can subvert the expectations of your audience, your characters or both in your writing.
Take Advantage Of Flashbacks
Flashbacks are where characters or the narrative rely on recalling a memory from a time before the story began that readers can see for themselves. When writing flashbacks, it’s important the time they begin and end are conveyed clearly to the reader. Flashbacks are especially useful for setting up dramatic irony by conveying something to the audience that isn’t apparent to a character.
Omniscience Perspectives
Tension and suspense are built when a reader knows more than a character because you are constantly on edge wanting them to catch up with what you know. An omniscient narrator can flip this balance. This is an especially popular way of conveying irony in mysteries where the narrator of the story knows more than the reader.
Make Use Of ‘Meanwhile Devices’
If you are making use of an omniscient point of view, your narrator may reflect on a parallel event happening at the same time somewhere else i.e. ‘meanwhile, across the hall’. Because this strategy lets a reader know about what’s happening that a character doesn’t know about it is another powerful way of building dramatic irony.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
