Irony, "The Necklace," and "The Sniper" Analysis

Surprise

An important ingredient in a good story

Verbal Irony

When you say one thing but mean something else, you are using verbal irony

Sarcasm

When tone is bitter, you might call it this

Situational Irony

Irony that is most apparent in the plot

Situational Irony (Effect)

When put to work in fiction, it is often what touches us the most, moving us toward tears or laughter, because we sense we are close to the truth of life

"Death Speaks" (Situational Irony Example)

A merchant in Baghdad tells his master he saw death in a market place, asks for his master's horse to ride away from the city to avoid death, but Death was surprised to see him in Baghdad as he expected to see him in Samarra, where the merchant ultimately flees

Dramatic Irony

When we in the audience know something that the characters on stage or on the screen do not know

Irony (Purpose)

The best antidote for the story which has begun to "take itself too seriously"

Author of "Sniper"

Liam O’Flaherty

Setting of "Sniper" (time & place)

Dublin, Ireland, 1920’s - Civil War

Genre of "Sniper"

Historical Fiction

Exposition in "Sniper"

A June twilight fades into night and Dublin laid in silence

Inciting Incident in "Sniper"

Immediately a bullet shot at him, but flattened against the parapet

Rising Action (Key events in "Sniper")

The sniper kills an informer (an old woman) and the man in the turret of an armored car

Climax in "Sniper"

When the smoke cleared, the Republican sniper cheered as his enemy was hit

Falling action in "Sniper"

The lust of battle dies in the Republican sniper, he feels remorse, curses everything, and throws his smoking revolver onto the floor

Resolution in "Sniper"

The sniper darted across the street, escaped a hail of bullets, and threw himself at the corpse, seeing that it was his brother’s face

Republican Sniper (Description)

Young, but Experienced, having the face of a student and the eyes of a man who is used to looking at death

Facelessness (Theme in "Sniper")

A strong theme reflecting how everyone is nameless, emphasizing that in war everyone is either a friend or foe, with no consideration of relationships or life

Consequences of War (Theme in "Sniper")

War can lead to irreversible changes and horrible outcomes, such as the Republican sniper killing his brother

Sniper Irony

The discovery that the enemy sniper was his brother, an example of situational irony

Author of "The Necklace"

Guy De Maupassant

Setting of "The Necklace" (time & place)

Paris, 1880s

Genre of "The Necklace"

‘Realism Short Story’

Exposition in "The Necklace"

Mathilde was not born into wealth, had no dowry, no prospects of wealth, and was married off to a minor clerk in the Ministry of Education

Rising Action (Key events in "The Necklace")

Her husband gives up 400 francs (his rifle savings) to buy her a dress

Climax in "The Necklace"

She looked into the mirror and noticed the necklace was missing, giving out a cry

Falling Action (Key events in "The Necklace")

Loisel uses eighteen thousand francs from his inheritance and raises money from loan sharks and shady business deals to buy a similar necklace

Resolution in "The Necklace"

After 10 years of toil, Mathilde approaches Mme. Forestier, who explains the original necklace was fake and worth at most only five hundred francs

Mathilde (Description)

Ambitious and kinda greedy, she strived for a higher class and recognition

Mathilde’s Husband (Description)

A pushover and weak, he lacks the backbone to refuse anything from his wife, giving up his rifle savings and using his inheritance and loans to please her

Patriarchy (Theme in "The Necklace")

The chains of the patriarchy prevented Mathilde from achieving a higher social class, leading to her constantly wanting more and wishing to appear successful at what she was expected to excel in as a woman

Social Classes (Theme in "The Necklace")

This theme plays an extremely important role as Mme. Loisel’s conflict with her wealth is caused by social standards

Her Submissive Husband (Irony)

An example of situational irony where Loisel obeys his wife’s every command, which is extremely unusual for the time period when wives were expected to be submissive