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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
Chapter 20
Explanation and Analysis—Profoundly Happy:
When Amir speaks with an old beggar who once knew his mother, he learns about Sofia's somewhat fatalistic approach to things. As the old man tells a story about her to Amir, he uses situational irony and foreshadowing to illustrate her mixed feelings about happiness. As he recounts it, Amir’s mother once said:
I'm so afraid. Because I'm so profoundly happy. Happiness like this is frightening [...] They only let you be this happy if they're preparing to take something from you.
The situational irony in this quote by Amir’s mother comes from the reversal of expectations it contains. Amir’s mother ironically feels fear because she is deeply happy. Instead of feeling secure or content, her happiness triggers dread because she’s afraid it could be taken from her. This emotional reaction runs opposite to what the reader might expect. Sofia is anxious that her happiness is a warning sign rather than a permanent state. Her total joy feels dangerous when she’s sure it will be followed by sorrow.
The foreshadowing in her statement is uncanny; especially as the old man is telling Amir this story when his mother is already dead. Within the story’s larger arc, this moment also hints at the many losses Amir will face. Her words plant the idea that any fulfillment in this world comes with hidden costs. Being “profoundly happy” should also make one profoundly afraid.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Flower of Spring:
When the old beggar speaks to Amir about his mother, Hosseini uses situational irony and an idiom comparing a weed to a flower to show how unfair her fate was:
His eye managed to twinkle through the veil of cataracts. “‘The desert weed lives on, but the flower of spring blooms and wilts.’ Such grace, such dignity, such a tragedy.”
The idiom the old man uses—comparing a “desert weed” to a “flower of spring”—is his way of explaining that life isn’t fair. Weeds, which are unwanted, continue to live even in the worst conditions. However, flowers, which are delicate and beautiful, quickly die. The beggar’s words suggest that he believes it is often the cruel or harsh people who survive. The kindest and most graceful people are doomed to pass away too soon. Amir’s mother, with her “grace” and “dignity,” was a fragile flower who was unfairly plucked from a harsh world.
The situational irony deepens the sadness of the idiom. One might expect someone full of beauty, kindness, and life to thrive because of all the positive things they provide. Instead, Amir’s dies young while others far less worthy continue living. This reversal between what should happen and what actually happens leaves the reader with a feeling of extreme injustice. It makes Amir’s mother’s death feel doubly tragic by showing how unfair fate can be.
Related Themes:
