Irony
A figure of speech in which words are
used in such a way that their intended
meaning is different from the actual
meaning of the words. It may also be a
situation that may end up in quite a
different way than what is generally
anticipated
In general, a discrepancy between
expectation and reality
Types of Irony
Verbal Irony
Dramatic Irony
Situational Irony
Verbal Irony
When someone says the opposite of what they really
mean or intend; sarcasm is a form of verbal irony.
Ex: Mom looks at her son’s messy room and says “wow
you should win an award for cleanliness”
On the way to school the bus gets a flat tire and the
driver says “Excellent! This day couldn’t start any
better.”
Dramatic Irony
Occurs when the audience or reader of a text
knows something that the characters do not.
Ex: The audience knows the killer is hiding
behind a closet but the girl doesn’t know.
In Romeo and Juliet the audience/reader
knows Juliet has faked her death, Romeo
doesn’t and thinks she’s really dead.
Situational Irony
Where actions or events have the opposite
result from what is expected or what is
intended.
Ex: A marriage counselor gets a divorce
A fire house burns down
A police station gets robbed
There are roaches infesting a pest control
office
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=81c44-CDP7E
The Cask of Amontillado
by Edgar Allan Poe
Carnival
• Carnival is a secular (nonreligious) holiday. Typically
it is the week before Lent in
Roman Catholic countries. It
is similar to a festival and
involves music, dancing,
alcohol, and food.
What happens during Carnival?
• Carnival is a time of EXCESS and
INDULGENCE.
• BINGEING upon food and alcohol is common.
Partying in the streets and
masquerading are enjoyed.
European Carnival traditions
survive in the United States in the
form of Mardi Gras.
“The Cask of Amontillado” is set
during the “supreme madness” of
Carnival.
In such a disorderly atmosphere, it
is easy to see how a crime such as
the one we will read about, could go
unnoticed.
Background Information
The narrator plans for his revenge
to take place in the catacombs
beneath his estate.
What are catacombs?
Catacombs: underground
cemeteries
The “supreme madness” of
Carnival aside, why doesn’t the
suggestion of a journey to the
catacombs for a taste of wine
seem odd or suspicious to the
victim?
The Storage of Wine
For wines to maintain their best quality,
they need to be stored at fairly cool and
constant temperatures.
Basements, cellars, and even
catacombs serve as excellent
storage facilities for the precious
vintage wines.
Edgar Allan Poe
• Author, not the narrator,
of the story.
• Developed characters
whose sanity is
questionable.
• Universally credited
as a significant
contributor to the
development of the short
story as a literary genre.
Some would argue that two
wrongs never make a right
and that revenge leads only
to more wrongdoing. Do
acts of revenge ever
resolve conflicts? Explain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=EnPN0IlwAb4
Mood: In literature, mood is a literary element that evokes certain
feelings or vibes in readers through words and descriptions.
Atmosphere: In literature, atmosphere refers to the feeling, emotion,
or mood a writer conveys to a reader through the description of setting
and objects.
Tone: Tone, in written composition, is an attitude of a writer toward a
subject or an audience. Tone is generally conveyed through the choice
of words or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject.
Unreliable narrator: An unreliable narrator is a narrator, whether in
literature, film, or theatre, whose credibility has been seriously
compromised. YOU DON’T KNOW IF YOU CAN TRUST THEM.
Reliable narrator: A reliable narrator is one who is trustworthy.