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Definition of 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... read full definition
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... read full definition
Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how... read full definition
Irony
Explanation and Analysis—The Glove Compartment:
When Rye gets in the car with Obsidian, she is still wary of his motives. Thus, she tenses up when he reaches toward the glove compartment, often a place where guns are hidden. However, in a moment of situational irony, he pulls out something quite different:
She stiffened, not knowing what to expect, but all he took out was a small box. The writing on it meant nothing to her. She did not understand until he broke the seal, opened the box, and took out a condom. He looked at her, and she first looked away in surprise. Then she giggled. She could not remember when she had last giggled.
While Rye expects Obsidian to take out a weapon, or at least something that could hurt her, he instead takes out something meant to draw them closer together. Rather than physical violence against Rye, Obsidian invites physical intimacy with Rye. The sheer unexpectedness of the moment and the ceremonious way in which Obsidian unwraps what ends up being a very unthreatening, common object create a moment of situational irony.
This situational irony, at least momentarily, generates a sense of humor that breaks up the tension in the story. In her stressful reality, Rye has forgotten what it is like to laugh. This moment creates a change in tone and allows Rye to open up in ways that will trickle down to the children later on in the story.
Related Themes:
