“Roman Fever”

1. “Roman Fever” Literary Elements

2. Setting • Where and when (Time and place) • Always consider how the setting impacts the plot of the story and the characters. • How does the setting impact Mrs. Grace Ansley and Mrs. Alida Slade?

3. Foreshadowing • A clue or a hint regarding what may come later in the story • Was the ending of “Roman Fever” (or any surprises along the way) foreshadowed by the author?

4. Irony • Irony is a DISCREPANCY between expectation and reality. • Three Types • Verbal • Dramatic • Situational

5. Verbal Irony • A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant • Often employed to create “sarcasm” • Example – • You meet your date for the Winter Formal. You are wearing a new cocktail dress and heels, while he is wearing his lax hoodie, gym shorts, and sneakers. You say, “Wow, I see you really dressed up for me.”

6. Dramatic Irony • A discrepancy between what a character says or thinks and what a reader knows to be true. • Example – • In scary movies, the entire audience knows that there is an intruder in the house, a monster in the closet, a zombie in the woods, etc., but the protagonist and other characters are unaware of it.

7. Situational Irony • A situation in which there is an incongruity between: • appearance and reality • expectation and fulfillment • the actual situation and what would seem appropriate • Example – • When John Hinckley tried to assassinate Reagan, all of his shots initially missed the President; however, a bullet ricocheted off the bullet-proof Presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. Thus, a vehicle made to protect the President from gunfire was partially responsible for his being shot. • In ”The Gift of the Magi” a young couple are too poor to buy each other Christmas gifts. The wife cuts off her treasured hair to sell it to a wig-maker for money to buy her husband a chain for his heirloom pocket watch. He pawns his watch to buy her a set of combs for her long, beautiful hair.