Question

Study the cartoon Creating Entitlement Minded Winners by Ed Wilson.

2 men are looking at a display of sports trophies. One man says "Wow! Your son must be a great athlete." The other man says "Never played. Parcticipation trophies."

How does exaggeration create irony in this cartoon?

The large speech balloons create irony because readers expect the son to be an accomplished athlete.
The large font size of “wow” creates irony because the reader does not expect anyone to be impressed.
The oversized trophies create irony because readers expect that they are for winning, not participation.
The colored shirts create irony because the reader does not expect color in the cartoon.

Answer 1

The answer that best explains how exaggeration creates irony in the cartoon is:

**The oversized trophies create irony because readers expect that they are for winning, not participation.**

This choice highlights the contrast between the expectation of trophies being awarded for actual achievement (winning) and the reality of the situation, where the trophies are merely for participation, thus emphasizing the theme of entitlement and the lack of true accomplishment. The exaggeration of the trophies' size serves to accentuate this irony.