Irony is a literary technique that shows a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens, or between the way things seem to be in contrast to the way they really are.
| Term | Definition | Example | |--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------| | Verbal Irony | When a speaker says one thing but means another. | Saying “Great weather!” during a storm. | | Dramatic Irony | When the audience knows something that the characters do not. | In a horror movie, the audience knows the killer is behind the door. | | Situational Irony | When there is a discrepancy between what is expected to happen and what actually occurs. | A fire station burns down. | | Sarcasm | The use of verbal irony to mock or convey contempt. | Saying “Nice job!” after someone fails badly. | | Paradox | A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth. | “Less is more.” |
A paradox can challenge our ideas of how things work and make us reconsider the way we see the world.
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