The author employs situational irony in this scene, as the class president expresses hope for a close vote while the actual results are overwhelmingly skewed in favor of one option. This contrast between the president's optimistic expectation of competition and the stark reality of the voting results creates a sense of disappointment and humor for the reader. The irony emphasizes the disconnect between her confidence in a balanced deliberation and the apparent lack of interest in the other projects, highlighting a common phenomenon in group dynamics where some ideas are favored over others despite a push for diversity in choice. This effect serves to critique the notion of democratic decision-making in a lighthearted manner, underscoring the unpredictability inherent in collective choices.
The class president's face took up one half of the screen and the survey took up the other half. "alright," she said. "You can all vote for whichever community project most interests you. i can't see the totals from my side while the vote is ongoing, but when everyone's , i'll announce the winner." Casey voted, and a bar graph showing the vote totals popped up in the survey's place. she watched one bar on the graph rapidly outclimb the others. "i'm sure this will be a close vote," the class president continued, "a lot of thought went into developing these ideas, and it's just so hard to choose." there were four options. as the president spoke, casey watched the vote spread settle at 19 to 1 to 1 to 2. "i hope that we can all agree to put our all into the project that wins," the president went on. "and for those of you who feel strongly about an option that doesn't win. perhaps you can consider leading an additional project next semester. in 3-5 sentences, explain how the author uses a type of irony to create an effect. identify both the type of irony used and the effect it has.
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