1. Irony and Ambiguity The Best Stories Irony Ambiguity Practice
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The Best Stories
Irony
Ambiguity
Practice

2. The Best Stories
The best stories are the ones that present life and people the way they really are.
mysterious
unpredictable
complicated
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3. Irony
Irony is the difference between what we expect or what seems suitable and what actually happens.
Writers include irony in stories to reflect the real world—a world where expectations aren’t always fulfilled and unexpected events often surprise us.
Katie’s grandfather taught her to play chess a few weeks ago. Now, she consistently wins matches against her grandfather and the other members of his chess club.

4. Irony In stories, we find three kinds of irony.
Verbal irony occurs when someone says one thing but means the opposite.
Situational irony occurs when an event is not just surprising but actually contrary to what we expected.
Dramatic irony occurs when the audience or the reader knows something important that the character does not know.

5. Irony
Quick Check
Based on the passage, which statement would be an example of verbal irony?
Mr. Hapner wants to sell his old van. A prospective buyer, Mrs. Duran, shows up to look at the van. She notices that it is rusty and dented, the front bumper is missing, and the engine will barely start.
A. “Oh, sir,” she says, “are you sure you want to part with this gem?”
B. “Oh, sir,” she says, “do you really expect to sell this piece of junk?”

6. Irony
Quick Check
Based on the passage, which statement would be an example of situational irony?
Dr. Kwan is a pet psychologist. A leader in her field, she has received several awards for her research and clinical successes. Dr. Kwan publishes a book called The Workings of a Dog’s Mind: How to Get Unruly Dogs to Behave, and it soars up the bestseller list.
A. Dr. Kwan gets an offer to host a television show about pets.
B. Dr. Kwan comes home to find that her two dogs have gnawed on several pairs of her shoes and ruined them.

7. Irony
Quick Check
Based on the passage, which statement would be an example of dramatic irony?
Detective Boone, the main character of a play, is trying to solve a rash of burglaries in his precinct. The audience knows that one of the other characters, a server at a coffee shop frequented by the detective, is the burglar.
A. We watch as Detective Boone talks to the server about his investigation and shares sensitive information.
B. Another detective eventually solves the case, and the server is arrested.
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8. Ambiguity Ambiguity is an element of uncertainty in a text.
Ambiguous texts offer several conflicting consequences or meanings that readers must sort out.

9. Ambiguity A story with an ambiguous ending or theme
keeps us wondering about what it means
tends to stick in our memory

10. Ambiguity Quick Check Describe the ambiguity in this story.
Millie notices that Hector, a new student, feels left out, so she asks him to the school dance. Hector accepts. Later, Millie finds out that her best friend, Cindy, likes Hector and wants to ask him to the dance.
“Oh,” says Millie, “I’m glad you told me. I asked him to the dance earlier, but I just remembered that I’ve got plans. Now, I won’t feel bad about canceling.”
When Millie’s mom picks her up from school, Millie asks, “Mom, aren’t we supposed to visit Grandma this weekend? We haven’t seen her in a while.”
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11. Practice
Review the definition of verbal irony. Then, write a paragraph describing a scene between two characters. Include an ironic statement made by one character. You might take inspiration from one of the characters or situations described in this presentation.
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12. Isn't it Ironic?

13. Example: a fire station burns down
Situational: something happens that we wouldn’t expect to happen
Definition: a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens
Example: a fire station burns down
Example: a fire station burns down
irony
Dramatic: the reader knows something the characters do not
Verbal – what is said is different than what is meant
Home Alone: We know that Kevin has planted traps every where, but the thieves don’t!
You tell someone to break a leg but you mean for them to have good luck

14. 1. George breaks a date with his girlfriend so he can go to a ball game with the guys. At the concession stand, he runs into his girlfriend with another guy.
Identify the following examples of irony as situational, dramatic, or verbal…

15. We do not expect George to see his girlfriend with another guy.
A: SITUATIONAL IRONY

17. We don’t expect a FITNESS CENTER to have an escalator because they cause you to burn LESS calories.
SITUATIONAL IRONY

18. 3. You are watching a horror movie
3. You are watching a horror movie. You know that the boogey man is waiting for the main character in the closet, but the character doesn’t know and unknowingly opens the closet door.

19. You, as the audience, know something that the main character does not.
A: DRAMATIC IRONY

21. You wouldn’t expect to see a Pepsi delivery man drinking a Coke!
A: Situational Irony

22. 5. As you walk outside into the pouring rain, your friend sarcastically comments, “What lovely weather we’re having today.”

23. Your friend is saying that it is lovely weather but what she means is just the opposite. It is a very dreary day.
A: VERBAL IRONY

25. The guy is calling the protestors stupid, but he spelled, “morons” wrong!
SITUATIONAL IRONY

26. 7. A police station gets robbed.

27. We wouldn’t expect a POLICE STATION to get robbed
We wouldn’t expect a POLICE STATION to get robbed. They investigate robberies!
A: SITUATIONAL IRONY

29. The van drove into a “School of Safe Driving. ” Hahahahahaha
The van drove into a “School of Safe Driving .” Hahahahahaha! We wouldn’t expect that.
SITUATIONAL

30. 9. Your date for the school dance shows up in ripped jeans and a stained t-shirt. With a smirk, you say, “Oh! I see you dressed up for the occasion.”

31. What you’ve said is different than what you mean
What you’ve said is different than what you mean. You mean that your date hasn’t bother to dress up at all, but that isn’t what you said!
A: VERBAL IRONY

33. It is ironic that a McDonald’s sign is beside a sign about obesity!
SITUATIONAL IRONY

34. 11. When watching a talk show, the audience knows why a person has been brought on the show. However, the person in the chair does not know that they are going to be reunited with a long lost friend.

35. The audience knows information that a character does not
The audience knows information that a character does not! (We know why the person has been brought on the show, but they don’t!)
A: DRAMATIC IRONY

37. Would you expect someone that lives here to specialize in complete home repair?
SITUATIONAL

38. The End!