Irony of Rouenna
In his memories and fantasies, Misha imagines Rouenna as being kind, tender, and wholeheartedly accepting. In real life, however, she doesn't fit his fantasy profile: she is coarse, unfaithful, and brutally blunt. This irony is at the core of Misha's idealized hopes about America as well.
Irony of Misha's Father's Death
Misha's father, a Russian gangster with a history of violent crime, was the reason they were not allowed back into the US. With his father dead, Misha hopes to be granted a return visa, but ironically his connection to his father still prevents him from entering the country, and since his father is no longer alive to do anything about it, his death just solidified Misha's inability to return.
Irony of Absurdistan
Misha travels to Absurdistan in order to be able to leave Russia. Ironically, it is his presence there that ensures his continued presence in Russia; instead of merely arriving, obtaining the passport, and leaving, Misha accidentally becomes ensnared in a civil war of sorts, the aftermath of which forces him to remain inside the country, making his visit to Absurdistan counterproductive.
Irony of Misha's Address to the INS
This novel is fictitiously addressed, in part, to the INS headquarters in Washington, D.C., the home base of the people who refuse to let Misha back into the U.S. He is, understandably, angry with them, but he can't take it out forcefully in his writings because they might read it, so he fills the novel with the praises of the INS despite his hatred (“First I would like to fall on my knees in front of the INS headquarters in Washington, D.C., to thank the organization for all its successful work on behalf of foreigners everywhere ... What can I say? The INS people are just and fair. They are the true gatekeepers of America." These lines are loaded with irony; the INS is the reason Misha is stuck in St. Petersburg, where he can't fulfill his dreams.
Irony of "Snack Daddy"
While in America, Misha wanted to find a woman who would love him for himself despite his physical disadvantages. To do this, he frequented the rooftops that constituted a social club for students, cracking jokes and making friends. This plan ironically backfired; he become so beloved in such an avuncular way that the girls confided in him about their romantic crushes, not even considering him as a possibility because of his weight. In his own words, “The girls regarded me as a safe confidant, as if my weight had rendered me a beloved uncle.” (Ch. 1)
