Question

CHARACTERS:
JOSH
TARA
KUL

Stage Set: Tara's house. Josh is outside the door holding a bouquet and a hand-written letter for Tara. He can hear the conversation because the door is ajar. Josh does not go in right away.

TARA: (shrugging her shoulders) No, I do not want to.
KUL: Come on. He is a nice enough guy. Why not?
TARA: Well, you don't understand. Why do you even ask me?
KUL: (looking Tara in the eye) Hey. Try me.
TARA: (after a long pause) The thing is—I don't want to give him any hope. Why build him up and let him down?
KUL: With just a dance?
TARA: You've seen the way he looks at me. He more than likes me.
KUL: I suppose you are right . . . Couldn't you just be friends? (notices the open door, goes to close it, and sees Josh)
TARA: Yes, we are just friends. That is why we are not going to the prom together. Why don't you just shut the door?
1
Which of these best explains the irony in Tara's situation in this play?
A.
Only the audience knows that Kul wants to go out with Tara.
B.
She thinks she is helping Kul, but she is hurting his feelings.
C.
She is unaware that Josh can hear what she says about him.
D.
Only Tara knows how Josh feels about her.

Answer 1

C

Tara doesn't realize Josh is standing in the doorway and can hear her dismissive remarks. That's dramatic irony: other characters (and the audience) know something she doesn't.