The Boy Who Cried Wolf - An Aesop Fable
There once was a boy who kept watch over the village sheep. He would often become bored and to amuse himself, he would call out, "Wolf! Wolf," although there was no wolf about.
The villagers would stop what they were doing and run to save the sheep from the wolf's jaw. Once they arrived at the pasture, the boy just laughed. The naughty boy played this trick over and over until the villagers grew tired of him.
One day while the boy was watching the sheep, an actual wolf did come into the field. The boy cried and cried, "Wolf! Wolf!"
No one came. The wolf had a feast of sheep that day.
Identify the type of irony used, and the example that matches.
(1 point)
Responses
Situational irony: Nobody should expect a boy to watch sheep
Situational irony: Nobody should expect a boy to watch sheep
Dramatic irony: At the end of the story, the reader knows there is really a wolf, but the villagers do not.
Dramatic irony: At the end of the story, the reader knows there is really a wolf, but the villagers do not.
Verbal irony: The boy is being sarcastic and actually means the opposite of what he says.
Verbal irony: The boy is being sarcastic and actually means the opposite of what he says.
Situational irony: The villagers know all along that the boy is lying, but they come to save the sheep anyway.
Situational irony: The villagers know all along that the boy is lying, but they come to save the sheep anyway.
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1 answer
The type of irony used in "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" is situational irony. The correct example that matches this type of irony is:
Situational irony: The villagers know all along that the boy is lying, but they come to save the sheep anyway.
This reflects the unexpected outcome where, despite knowing he is not being truthful, the villagers do initially respond to his cries, but when he finally tells the truth, they do not believe him.
