The House on Mango Street

by Sandra Cisneros

The House on Mango Street: Dramatic Irony 1 key example

Definition of Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given situation, and that of the... read full definition
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given... read full definition
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a... read full definition
Chapter 10: Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin
Explanation and Analysis—Waving:

In a moment of dramatic irony after being driven around in a fancy car by Marin's cousin Louie's other cousin, Esperanza describes her and the other kids waving at Louie's cousin as he is arrested:

Marin screamed and we ran down the block to where the cop car’s siren spun a dizzy blue. The nose of that yellow Cadillac was all pleated like an alligator’s, and except for a bloody lip and a bruised forehead, Louie’s cousin was okay. They put handcuffs on him and put him in the backseat of the cop car, and we all waved as they drove away.