Irony In The Ransom Of Red Chief
Irony is something many authors use to create suspense and humor. It can be developed through word choice and tone. Word choice develops tone along with with events in the story. Irony is something that can make tone stronger. In the story, “The Ransom of Red Chief’ written by O. Henry. Henry uses irony throughout his story to develop a humorous tone. Tone is when the reader feels a specific way towards the story. The reader would find the story funny because of how irony is used in it. Both sitional and verbal irony are used throughout the story to develop a humorous tone. Verbal irony is used in many instances in the story to create humor. One of the first instances of situational irony is when the “would be” kidnappers first carry little “Red Chief” off to their lair. The reader expects the kidnappers to have the urge to keep the child. However, the kidnappers do not behave as the reader would expect, instead they are
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afraid and do not want the child. The kidnappers want to take the child back to his parents instead of keeping it. Also the kidnappers are scared of the child instead of being tough and brave around him This is clearly illustrated in the text when it emphasizes, “He put a red-hot potato down my back, ‘ explained Bill, ‘ and then mashed it with his foot; and i boxed his ears. Have you got a gun about you, Sam?” I took the rock away from the boy and kind of patched up the argument. “Ill fix you’ says the kid to bill. “No man ever yet struck the Red Chief but what he got paid for it. You better beware! (Henery 4)” This creates a humorous tone because the reader would think that the kidnappers would be brave and not be scared of the kid.
Another instance of situational irony is when “Red Chief” begins to speak with the kidnappers. One would expect that a child who has been kidnapped would be somewhat scared or want to go back with their parents. However, “Red Chief” does not behave as expected, instead he likes to be with the kidnappers. He does not want to go back home.This is clearly demonstrated in the text when it emphasizes, “Aw, what for? Says he. ‘ I don't have any fun fun at home. I hate to go to school. I like to camp out. You won't take me back home again, Snake-eye, will you? (Henry 2)” This develops a humorous tone because it suprises the reader along with make them laugh. You would think the child would want to go back to his home. But he likes be held captive with his kidnappers, he is having fun and thinks it is way better than being at home.
A final example of situational irony is when “Red Chief’s” father responds to the ransom note. The reader would expects that the father would be frantic, sad, angry, and even happy to see that his child would be coming home. Again, the father does not react as expected, instead he makes the kidnappers pay back the father. This is clearly displayed in the text when it reveals, “You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and I agree to take him off of your hands. (Henry 8)” This is the ultimate tool in creating a humorous tone because one would expect that the kidnappers would not have to pay the father to take the child back. Readers would most likely think that the kidnappers would just keep the child and not give him back at all.
The author also make use of verbal irony to create a humorous tone.
One example is when the kidnappers first take the child and no one reacts to him being stolen. One kidnapper knows something is wrong and that he is getting into a problem. So he soon implies, “it has not yet been discovered that the wolves have borne away the tender lambkin from the fold. Heaven help the wolves! Says i and i went down the mountain for breakfast. (Henry 3)” This creates humor because readers would think that the kidnappers would not be in trouble but even the kidnappers know they are. Another example of verbal irony is when one kidnapper explains, “Me? Says I. ‘Oh, i got a kind of pain in my shoulder. I thought sitting up would rest it’ ‘You’re a liar! (Henry 3)” The reader would think that there is an actual pain in his shoulder instead of nothing. When the other kidnapper says he is lying, it reveals that the other kidnapper was lying and his shoulder did not hurt at all. This creates a humorous tone because the kidnapper proves the other kidnapper
wrong.
As one can see, the author’s use of both situational and verbal irony helps create a humorous tone. It is accomplished because of the different things the kidnappers do. They do things that no one would expect, being irony. In the story irony creates funny things which make categorizes the story to be humours.
afraid and do not want the child. The kidnappers want to take the child back to his parents instead of keeping it. Also the kidnappers are scared of the child instead of being tough and brave around him This is clearly illustrated in the text when it emphasizes, “He put a red-hot potato down my back, ‘ explained Bill, ‘ and then mashed it with his foot; and i boxed his ears. Have you got a gun about you, Sam?” I took the rock away from the boy and kind of patched up the argument. “Ill fix you’ says the kid to bill. “No man ever yet struck the Red Chief but what he got paid for it. You better beware! (Henery 4)” This creates a humorous tone because the reader would think that the kidnappers would be brave and not be scared of the kid.
Another instance of situational irony is when “Red Chief” begins to speak with the kidnappers. One would expect that a child who has been kidnapped would be somewhat scared or want to go back with their parents. However, “Red Chief” does not behave as expected, instead he likes to be with the kidnappers. He does not want to go back home.This is clearly demonstrated in the text when it emphasizes, “Aw, what for? Says he. ‘ I don't have any fun fun at home. I hate to go to school. I like to camp out. You won't take me back home again, Snake-eye, will you? (Henry 2)” This develops a humorous tone because it suprises the reader along with make them laugh. You would think the child would want to go back to his home. But he likes be held captive with his kidnappers, he is having fun and thinks it is way better than being at home.
A final example of situational irony is when “Red Chief’s” father responds to the ransom note. The reader would expects that the father would be frantic, sad, angry, and even happy to see that his child would be coming home. Again, the father does not react as expected, instead he makes the kidnappers pay back the father. This is clearly displayed in the text when it reveals, “You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and I agree to take him off of your hands. (Henry 8)” This is the ultimate tool in creating a humorous tone because one would expect that the kidnappers would not have to pay the father to take the child back. Readers would most likely think that the kidnappers would just keep the child and not give him back at all.
The author also make use of verbal irony to create a humorous tone.
One example is when the kidnappers first take the child and no one reacts to him being stolen. One kidnapper knows something is wrong and that he is getting into a problem. So he soon implies, “it has not yet been discovered that the wolves have borne away the tender lambkin from the fold. Heaven help the wolves! Says i and i went down the mountain for breakfast. (Henry 3)” This creates humor because readers would think that the kidnappers would not be in trouble but even the kidnappers know they are. Another example of verbal irony is when one kidnapper explains, “Me? Says I. ‘Oh, i got a kind of pain in my shoulder. I thought sitting up would rest it’ ‘You’re a liar! (Henry 3)” The reader would think that there is an actual pain in his shoulder instead of nothing. When the other kidnapper says he is lying, it reveals that the other kidnapper was lying and his shoulder did not hurt at all. This creates a humorous tone because the kidnapper proves the other kidnapper
wrong.
As one can see, the author’s use of both situational and verbal irony helps create a humorous tone. It is accomplished because of the different things the kidnappers do. They do things that no one would expect, being irony. In the story irony creates funny things which make categorizes the story to be humours.