Isn't it ironic?

[coberst]

Isn’t it ironic?

 

I have launched an effort to gain some understanding of literature. One thing I have discovered (I have in fact discovered a great number of interesting bits of understanding) is the importance of the concept of irony in literature. Irony provides the structure and style of many literary accomplishments. I suspect you are like me in that when I first encountered the use of this word I was confused. I thought I had some general understanding of the word and had no idea of its broad application or possible meaning.

 

The Encyclopaedia Britannica had this as the introduction to its explanation of the meaning of the word “irony”.

“ language device, either in spoken or written form (verbal irony), in which the real meaning is concealed or contradicted by the literal meanings of the words, or in a theatrical situation ( dramatic irony), in which there is an incongruity between what is expected and what occurs. Verbal irony arises from a sophisticated or resigned awareness of contrast between what is and what ought to be and expresses a controlled pathos without sentimentality. It is a form of indirection that avoids overt praise or censure, as in the casual irony of the statement “That was a smart thing to do!” (Meaning “very foolish”).”

 

I have found that there is a mountain of books that elaborate on the use of this concept. The book and movie “Catch 22” is totally constructed on this concept. We discover in the movie that the phrase “catch 22” refers to section 22 in the manuals psychiatrists were commanded to use when evaluating airmen who reported in sick complaining that they had become crazy because of the stress of flying the dangerous bombing missions. This section 22 states that an airman can be exempted from flying more missions only if judged to be crazy. The airman could be judged crazy only if he admitted himself to the psychiatrist as being crazy but section 22 also said that anyone sane enough to judge himself as being insane under these conditions was obviously a sane person.

 

David Brooks, an often seen TV commentator and prominent conservative writer for the NY Times, recently published an essay in the NY Times speaking to the irony of many middle class voters “voting rich” by supporting the elimination of the estate tax. Brooks made a reasonable argument for this bit of irony.

 

If one understands the concept of irony one can begin to see all the opportunities available to use this concept in literature or for any mode of discourse. One need only read the headlines in today’s papers to recognize just how useful irony might be to illuminate our distorted rationalization.