Period 2​
: Rio Martinez, Fisher Price, Hunter Hidalgo, Dylan Specht, Omeed Tavasoli Fishbowl ­Tone and Irony Summary Tone ​
refers to all the literary techniques, such as diction, figurative language, and attitude, that the author uses to convey his or her’s own attitude in a given story. Authors also use tone to create the mood and atmosphere which contribute to the overall theme. Irony ​
has three different forms: situational, verbal, and dramatic. Situational irony occurs whenever something opposite from what was expected happens. Verbal irony is simply when someone ​
says ​
the opposite of what is true. Sarcasm is a type of verbal irony, but sarcasm requires malice and knowledge that the said statement is incorrect, whereas verbal irony in general does not. Dramatic irony requires the reader or audience and other characters to know something crucial to the plot that another one of characters in the story does not. Terms Tone​
: ​
the attitude of the writer towards a theme or subject Irony​
:​
a means of indirection Incongruity​
:​
a discrepancy between what is expected and experienced Malapropisms​
:​
accidental verbal errors Understatement​
:​
An expression which falls short of a situation’s full importance Overstatement​
: ​
(also known as hyperbole) A statement where words are obviously excessive Double Entendre:​
deliberate ambiguity Situational Irony:​
refers to divide between what we hope/expect and what actually happens. Cosmic Irony:​
situational irony that is connected to a pessimistic or fatalistic view of life Dramatic Irony:​
Irony in which the audience knows something the character does not. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ​
has a very sarcastic and mocking ​
tone​
. Told from the point of view of one of the lowest members of society, ​
Huck Finn ​
makes use of the uneducated, blunt, and critical observations of its leading character in its constant mockery of southern culture. The story’s tone is also furthered by the humorous dialogue, serene setting, and constantly ridiculous situations that Jim and Huck encounter. The very setup of ​
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ​
is ​
ironic​
. The two main characters are literally the lowest members of society (a slave and a homeless person), and yet they are more noble and in many cases more intelligent than the misguided people whom they encounter. ​
Incongruities​
like these between what is encountered and what is expected show the novel’s ​
situational irony​
, which in turn furthers Mark Twain’s anti­southern message. ​
Verbal irony​
can be seen at various times throughout the story in the absurd things said by southern people, namely during Huck and Tom’s conversations. The irony in ​
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ​
and the blunt, critical observations made through the first­person narration of Huck lead to a caustic and mocking tone towards the demeaning nature and utter absurdity of the Southern way of life. The Things They Carried Tim O’Brien’s​
tone​
is one of animosity towards war. ​
The Things They Carried ​
is filled with the individual stories of the soldiers and seeks to delve into the histories of its characters. Each soldier has a unique perspective on the war and Tim O’Brien fleshes out these differences to present a well­rounded depiction of war. Furthermore, the use of flashbacks, such as the flashback to the time when Tim killed a boy, help to further the introspective nature of this novel. During these recollections, Tim uses many repetitive words and sentences, which conveys the disarrayed state of thought that accompanies the experience of war. Many of the central points of the story are conveyed through the use of​
situational irony​
. Tim O’Brien goes to war out of cowardice rather than courage. Mary Anne becomes more savage and removed from society than any of her male counterparts. Grieving over the death of his friend, Rat Kiley decides to murder an innocent animal. Originally a liberal and pacifist, O’Brien is tormented by the constant desire to kill the medic who wronged him. These situations defy what would generally be experienced in war, and Tim O’Brien uses this situational irony to further the story’s critical yet introspective tone towards this overarching theme of war. Death of a Salesman As told by the literary diction of Arthur Miller’s writing, the​
tone ​
of ​
Death of a Salesman​
can be coined as concerned and sympathetic of Willy Loman’s tragic situation; yet frank and honest of the fallible nature of the play’s point of conflict. Because ​
Death of a Salesman​
is a play, we are able to see much more of the author’s direct tone from play directions and other supplemental scene/character information. Death of a Salesman​
contains many instances of irony, the most obvious of which being ​
situational irony ​
due to the setup of the play itself. Willy Loman wants what is best for his family. He has pushed Biff and Happy to be successful since they were exceedingly young, as seen from Willy’s hallucinations in the play. The irony lies with this fact: Willy pushes his children to be successful; yet, he uses himself as a point of reference in teaching them how to do so. In addition, a point of ​
cosmic irony​
is that Willy is doomed to become an ultimate failure, even though he spends his entire life working towards trying to be the opposite. The Crucible Arthur Miller has an accusatory and hostile tone throughout ​
The Crucible ​
by giving a piece of backstory to each of the main characters and establishing the context of the town relations. The constant struggle of Abigail accusing innocent townspeople and Proctor’s steadfastness help to exemplify the tension throughout of the town. The dynamic between Proctor and his prosecutors only adds to the tone of tension and hostility. Moreover, the aggressive behavior of Abigail towards the other girls bolsters this hostile and aggressive tone that resonates throughout the entire play. Irony transcends throughout ​
The Crucible ​
as John Proctor, the supposedly least holy of all the townsmen, becomes one of the most moral men within the community. Not even the holy leaders can discern histeria from the truth and become blinded by their fear of losing power. Their acceptance of what Abigail Williams and her followers say is also ironic, as the social climate of the time would normally have never allowed leaders to take the word of little girls over that of adult men. Miller thus shows that fear and hysteria can uproot nearly every aspect of society. Beloved The ​
tone​
of ​
Beloved ​
is both deeply mournful yet passionately hopeful. Although Sethe escapes from life as a literal slave, she is haunted by her past experiences and misdeeds to the point where she becomes dependent upon them. When this horrible past manifests itself in the form of her deceased daughter Beloved, Sethe becomes Beloved’s slave, acting as if she were the helpless child and Beloved the cruel master. The ​
cosmic irony​
associated with the idea that Sethe is unable to escape the literal and figurative bondage of her past contributes to the more depressing side of this story’s tone. However, the relationship between Sethe and Paul D, the gradual maturation of Denver, and the vanishing legacy of Beloved’s spirit contradict this somber tone and illustrate the presence of hope in Morrison’s novel. Through the use of cosmic irony and by showing that Sethe is unable to overcome her past, Toni Morrison generates a deeply mournful tone in Beloved towards a theme of memory, the past, and legacy and its far reaching consequences. However, the development of Denver into an independent woman and the love that Paul D and Sethe share also reveal the tone to be hopeful and optimistic for the future. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad’s ​
Heart of Darkness ​
assumes a cynical and misanthropic tone. Marlow’s gradual journey into the Heart of the Congo and his progressing loss of humanity contribute to this tone and to the idea of inherent human wickedness and selfishness. The despicable, stock characters and the ultimate disappointment that arrives in the form of Kurtz help to further convey this tone. The ​
situational irony​
between Kurtz’s reputation and his actual self illustrates the story’s theme about the natural weakness and evil of humanity. Based on the laudations and reputation that Marlow hears about Kurtz, the reader naturally expects Kurtz to be an impressive figure and character. However, when Kurtz is seen for the first time, it is clear that he has devolved further than any other character in ​
Heart of Darkness. ​
As a result of both this ​
situational irony​
and Marlow’s devolving state as he journeys into the heart of the Congo, Conrad creates a cynical, depressing, and misanthropic tone towards the theme of innate human weakness and evil. Hamlet William Shakespeare’s ​
tone​
in ​
Hamlet ​
is one of disgust and anger towards betrayal and dishonesty within a community. Shakespeare makes this known through characters such as Hamlet and the Ghost who both illustrate Shakespeare’s deep sentiments against betrayal using violence and lambasting rhetoric. Moreover, the interactions between Ophelia and Hamlet underscore this tone as Hamlet, feeling betrayed and hurt, directly tells Ophelia to go join a brothel and that his feelings for her have vanished. Furthermore, the setting of ​
Hamlet ​
is also indicative of this tone as it primarily takes place within the walls of the royal family, implying a certain level of trust which, ironically, is betrayed over and over again. The objective third person point of view used in the play also goes to further this tone as Shakespeare allows the reader to have a “fly on the wall” view of the events so that the impact of dishonesty can be viewed in a candid way. If this story were told through the point of view of Claudius, the treacherous deeds of dishonesty committed within the community might not have seemed so bad, thus Shakespeare loses his authorial attitude in the piece. The ​
irony​
within in ​
Hamlet ​
is also extremely palpable and serves to further Shakespeare’s tone. For example, Hamlet is the son of a king and is expected to be treated as infallible and with respect, but​
incongruously ​
he is constantly ridiculed and treated as an outsider in his own palace. Moreover, Ophelia, who was told to damn herself by joining a brothel, damns herself by killing herself, an action Hamlet was previously considering. These aspects of the plot show Shakespeare’s tone by using unexpected circumstance to impart the reader with the same disgust he has towards betrayal and dishonesty.