Marialy Armendariz

Mr.Cook
ELA
17 November 2014
Irony is used in stories to make readers think about the unexpected things that
happen. The authors Charlotte and Kurt use strong vocabulary in order to create a
strong negative feeling. The stories The Yellow Wall-Paper and Harrison Bergeron
use the rhetorical device of irony to appeal to pathos.
The story The Yellow Wallpaper has many examples of irony. Gilman says,
But John says if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take pains to control
myself- before him, at least, and that makes me very tired (Gilman 11). The author
evokes Johns wife to be take pills so she could have self-control over herself. John
does not love his wife and he does not take control of her which it is why this quote is
ironic. Gilman also says, I verily believe she thinks it is the writing which made me sick!
But I can write when she is out, and see her a long way off from these windows
(Gilman 18). This is ironic because it is unexpected that Johns sister does not support
her on what she really likes, and instead she thinks it is what made her sick.
The story Harrison Bergeron uses several examples of irony as well. Vonnegut
says, And George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental
handicap radio in his ear (Vonnegut 7). The irony here is that the community expects
everyone to be equal, yet George is not the same as others because he is more
intelligent and makes him different than the others. Vonnegut also says, There were
tears on Hazels cheeks, but shed forgotten for the moment what they were about

that was a real pretty dance, that they just did, say haze (Vonnegut 8). This is ironic
because no one is supposed to be prettier than anyone and everyone is supposed to be
equal, but Hazel was crying because she saw girls dance really pretty.
Both The Yellow Wall-Paper and Harrison Bergeron appeal to pathos. Gilman
says, It is a dull yet lurid orange in some places, a sickly sulphur tint in others (Gilman
13). The description of the wall-paper color gives the reader a negative feeling.
Vonnegut says, Every thirty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp
noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains
(Vonnegut 7). Thinking about the sharp noise in your ears creates a negative and angry
appeal.
Both Kurt Vonnegut and Charlotte Perkins Gilman use irony to create a negative
feeling. Irony in stories engage people to make them want to read more and more. More
suspense is created when irony is used and it makes the reader feel an emotion.