3. THEME
Theme is a topic or message in a story that the
writer is wishing to convey about a subject.
*As we study three major texts this unit, all of the
themes will be the same.
4. IRONY
Irony refers to the contrast between appearance and
reality. There are three different types of irony.
Situational irony is a contrast between what is expected
to happen and what actually does. Dramatic irony occurs
when readers know more about a situation or a character
in a story than the characters do. Verbal irony occurs
when someone states one thing and means another.
5. SITUATIONAL IRONY EXAMPLES
• A traffic cop gets his license suspended for unpaid parking
tickets.
• An ambulance driver responds to a nighttime bike accident
and runs over the victim because the victim crawled into the
middle of the road with their bike.
• (From The Story of an Hour) A wife learns that her husband is
dead and feels a sense of freedom and thinks about a life
without restriction. Then her husband returns (he wasn’t
dead after all) and she dies of shock.
6. DRAMATIC IRONY EXAMPLES
• Two people are engaged to be married, but the audience
knows that the man is planning to run away with another
woman.
• In a scary movie, the character walks into a house and the
audience knows the killer is in the house.
7. VERBAL IRONY EXAMPLES
• Soft like a brick.
• Hard as putty.
• Clear like dirt.
• A person got into a car accident and said “Lucky me!”
8. FORESHADOWING
Foreshadowing is a writer’s use of hints or clues to
indicate events that will occur in a story. Foreshadowing
creates suspense and at the same time prepares the
reader for what is to come.
Example: A pipe is going to burst, but before it does, the
author writes a scene where the family notices a small
dark spot on the ceiling, but ignores it.
9. SYMBOL
A symbol is a person, place or object that has a
concrete meaning in itself and also stands for
something beyond itself, such as an idea or feeling.
Example: Sunrise after a bloody battle: the sunrise
can symbolism hope of a new day.
