The Opposite of Irony? Wrinkly.
Did I steal my blog title from a facebook bumper sticker? Yes. Yes, I did.
Irony is one of my favorite aspects in literature. I love when writers convey the fact that things are out of our control, no matter how competent we are. I love when readers get to uncover the bigger picture along with the characters, and end up jointly taking their limited knowledge with them to a premature conclusion. I especially love when something goes completely awry, and the author gives us the figurative nod of approval, saying, "It's OK to laugh at this."
Sometimes, though, irony is appropriately frustrating.
"[Dramatic irony] happens when a character either has no information about a situation or else misjudges it, but readers see everything completely and correctly" (Roberts 169).
There are times it's difficult to sit through a book, play, or television show and watch a character routinely make an idiot out of himself/herself. I've sat through many movies with my face in my hands, suppressing a groan as the protagonist walks into embarrassment. While it's tough to watch at times, once it's over I can always give a laugh of appreciation, because I've definitely put myself in an admirable number of awkward situations.
**My own story of dramatic irony: To graduate from my high school, one must have all her books returned to the library. I was notified one of my books was long-overdue, and I went down to talk with the librarian. After being advised by my friends to check my locker, and responding bitingly that of course I had already checked my locker, I spent a half-hour arguing with the librarian, noting that I had never turned a book in late, so someone must have failed to rescan the book and improperly reshelved it. The librarian profusely apologized, and I smugly went back to my locker to pick up my books for my next class. Of course, there sat my library book. Proudest. Moment. Ever.
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Aja Hannah on The Opposite of Irony? Wrinkly.: This confusion about "irony" r
Josie Rush on The Opposite of Irony? Wrinkly.: Heh, completely understandable
Jessica Orlowski on The Opposite of Irony? Wrinkly.: I'm still trying to decipher t
I'm still trying to decipher the opposite of irony as "wrinkly," but feel free to ignore this inquiry lol.
It's interesting when you read about those awkward situations (or experience them), and they're not... funny, at which point irony is sort of unnecessary.
Heh, completely understandable confusion about the title. When something is wrinkled, you iron it, so I think the thought-process goes that the opposite of something being wrinkly is irony.
I'm not sure what you mean about the second part of your comment, though? Are you saying the irony is unnecessary if the situation isn't funny?
This confusion about "irony" reminds me of a story I once heard:
A boy gives his girlfriend a necklace to show how much he cares about her. The boyfriend also had given the same necklace to his last girlfriend too. The boyfriend tells the girl this and tells the girl "it's ironic."
The girl later retells the story to her friend and adds, "He says 'it's ironic,' but I think it's gold."
Bumper stickers ftw.
I love irony. Of course, I might be confused about what exactly irony is, as we discussed in my blog.
Anyways, it's like the time I walked into the door frame of a senior calculus class when I was a freshman. I told my best friend about it, and was like "I'll never do anything that embarrassing again. I'm going to watch where I walk everywhere I go." Not even a half an hour later, I tackled a desk in my history class. I was running across the room to grab my map from someone, even though running was completely unnecessary. I tripped on one desk and took the desk in front of me to the ground with me. Fun.