Question
List three examples of dramatic or situational irony in Animal Farm, then state what is really meant in the passage or what actually happens in the plot.
Dramatic irony:
1. Some characters in the book Believe Boxer was taken to the hospital, and died there peacefully. What actually happened was that he was sold, and the pigs will use the money for whiskey.
2. The animals believe that they misunderstood the Commandments. The readers, however, know that Squealer had been changing them to suit the pigs when needed.
Situational irony:
3. The animals plan on running the farm themselves so that they are all treated better than when the farm was run by a human. However, the pigs begin acting like humans, putting the rest of the animals in the same situation they were in before.
I looked up the definitions of the two terms of irony, but I'm still not good at spotting it. Are these good examples of the two ironic terms, or am I wrong?
Dramatic irony:
1. Some characters in the book Believe Boxer was taken to the hospital, and died there peacefully. What actually happened was that he was sold, and the pigs will use the money for whiskey.
2. The animals believe that they misunderstood the Commandments. The readers, however, know that Squealer had been changing them to suit the pigs when needed.
Situational irony:
3. The animals plan on running the farm themselves so that they are all treated better than when the farm was run by a human. However, the pigs begin acting like humans, putting the rest of the animals in the same situation they were in before.
I looked up the definitions of the two terms of irony, but I'm still not good at spotting it. Are these good examples of the two ironic terms, or am I wrong?
Answers
Reed
Actually, I'd put all three of these examples under situational irony. The animals believed they'd be better off without human rule, but they are actually not better off. But as specific "dramatic" episodes, you're probably right.
Kenneth
Three