Question

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 oversized trophies create irony because readers expect that trophies that big would be for winning, not mere participation — the exaggeration highlights the mismatch between the trophy's importance and what it was actually awarded for.