CBSE Class 10 English
Textbook: First Flight
lesson 1, A Letter to God
the irony in the lesson ‘A Letter to God’
Q Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation? (Remember that the irony of a situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An ironic situation is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected.)
Source: Textbook question Page No. 7
OR
What is the biggest irony of the lesson ‘A Letter to God’?
ANS: We can say that the biggest irony of the story is that the postmaster and his staff show empathy and collect money for Lencho out of their own salary, while Lencho lacks empathy and gratitude for their kindness. The postmaster and his colleagues demonstrate kindness and compassion towards Lencho, even though he is a stranger to them.
On the other hand, Lencho, who is the recipient of their kindness, fails to appreciate their efforts and accuses them of stealing from him. He calls them a ‘bunch of crooks’. This shows how sometimes people can be blinded by their own beliefs and expectations and fail to recognize the kindness of others. It also emphasizes the importance of being grateful and empathetic towards others who show kindness and compassion towards us.
What is irony?
The irony is a literary device that involves using language to express something different from, its literal meaning. This can be achieved through situational irony or through verbal irony, where a speaker’s words convey the opposite of what they mean.
Examples of Irony
Here are 10 examples of irony in a table format with easy-to-understand explanations:
| Example of Irony | Explanation |
|---|---|
| A fire station burning down | This is an example of situational irony because a place that is meant to put out fires is itself on fire. |
| A pilot afraid of heights | This is an example of verbal irony because the pilot’s job is to fly planes, which is a high-up activity, but he or she is afraid of heights. |
| A traffic jam on the way to a protest against traffic congestion | This is an example of situational irony because the protest against traffic is causing more traffic. |
| A marriage counsellor getting a divorce | This is an example of situational irony because someone who helps others with their marriages is unable to save their own. |
| A doctor who smokes cigarettes | This is an example of verbal irony because smoking is bad for your health, yet the doctor, who should know better, does it anyway. |
| A lifeguard drowning in a pool | This is an example of situational irony because the person who is supposed to save others from drowning is drowning themselves. |
| A plumber’s house has leaky pipes | This is an example of situational irony because a person who fixes pipes for a living has pipes that don’t work properly in their own home. |
| A vegan owning a steakhouse | This is an example of situational irony because someone who doesn’t eat meat is running a restaurant that serves primarily meat. |
| A police station getting robbed | This is an example of situational irony because the place where people go to report crimes is itself a victim of a crime. |
| A comedian who is not funny | This is an example of verbal irony because the comedian’s job is to make people laugh, but they are not able to |