Irony: technique that draws awareness to the discrepancy between: Words and their meanings

1. Opening Activity: Write down the following definitions. Then, answer the questions on the next slides. • Irony: technique that draws awareness to the discrepancy between: • Words and their meanings • Expectation and fulfillment • What is and what seems to be • Paradox: statement that seems absurd or even contradictory on its face but often expresses a deeper truth. • Cannot be true, but also cannot be false. • Ex.= “All men kill the thing they love” (Oscar Wilde).

2. 1. What is ironic about the comic strip? What is ironic about the situation and dialogue in the first frame? What about the last frame?

3. 2. What paradox is illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3? What is the result of the paradox, as shown in Figure 3?

4. Answer to #1: The guard was being sarcastic and implying that the other man's shirt was actually very wrinkly. It is ironic because he is in the military and he is supposed to have a nice, fresh shirt. The guard is pointing out that the shirt is not fresh and ironed. Ergo, irony. The last frame is ironic because he is ironing his wrinkled shirt and doesn't understand the concept of irony.

5. Answer to #2:Because a cat will always land on its feet, and a piece of toast will always land butter-side down, the cat will stop in the air and begin spinning.

6. Analyzing Poems • Write a statement explaining the use of irony or paradox in the poem. • Mark lines that support your interpretation of the use of irony or paradox. • Explain what the poet accomplishes by using irony or paradox. • What is the poet’s purpose? • What is the poet’s main message?

7. Apostrophe • A figure of speech in which someone absent, inanimate, or dead is addressed as if alive, present, and able to reply • Examples: • “The Sick Rose” • “Death be not Proud”