Question

Use the information to answer the question.

A student writes a story about a carpenter who is about to retire after over forty years of building houses. When he builds his last house, he doesn't put forth the same effort that he usually does because he is ready to retire, so the house he builds is not of the best quality. When he is finished, his employer rewards him by giving him the keys to the house and telling him that it is his retirement present.
How does this story reflect situational irony?

(1 point)
Responses

The main character knew the house would be his retirement present, so he did a poor job building it.
The main character knew the house would be his retirement present, so he did a poor job building it.

By having the main character do poor work, the author challenged the reader's expectations.
By having the main character do poor work, the author challenged the reader's expectations.

Neither the reader nor the main character anticipated the house being a retirement present.
Neither the reader nor the main character anticipated the house being a retirement present.

While the main character did not know that he would be given the house, the reader knew all along.

Answer 1

The correct response that reflects situational irony in the story is:

**By having the main character do poor work, the author challenged the reader's expectations.**

This response highlights the contrast between the carpenter's intentions and the outcome of his work, leading to an unexpected twist when the house turns out to be a retirement present despite its poor quality.