Irony of Reverend Dave ("Total Cave Darkness")
The character of Reverend Dave is an inherently ironic one. A reverend is a revered leader of the church, and he is expected to conduct himself with admirable moral integrity. Reverend Dave, however, does the complete opposite: he has no inhibitions against extramarital sex, and he uses his position of authority to get a date with Martha, almost making himself into a caricature of a corrupt priest.
Irony of Zane ("After Zane")
Zane, Beth's husband who abandoned her for his ex, undergoes a crisis trying to choose between them. He finally chooses Beth and arrives back at her house to tell her the good news, assuming she still wants him. Ironically, he doesn't count on the fact that Beth might not accept him back, and when she tells him that she hasn't decided yet, he's shocked - he's gone from the one in the position of power to the one subjected to it.
Irony of Marjorie ("New People")
Marjorie, a 49-year-old happily married woman, begins to have an affair with the young, attractive college guy who mows the lawn. She thinks she has a dirty secret, but by the end of the story, she realizes that her secret is nothing compared to that of her seemingly respectable husband, whom she discovers to be a pedophile and child molester.
Irony of the Age Gap ("The Language of Sorrow")
The age gap between Dora, the protagonist of "The Language of Sorrow," and Peter, her teenage grandson, is large, and Peter instinctively sees Nora as a boring old woman. This appearance, however, is simply that, and Dora comes to see Peter as a kindred spirit, and he does her as well. Their bond suddenly transcends the age gap: Peter sees Dora as the most understanding and relatable person in his life.
Irony of Joelle's Mother ("Joelle's Mother")
The protagonists of "Joelle's Mother" see Joelle, their Italian half-sister, almost as some sort of deity personifying the lifestyle of the rich and beautiful, as opposed to their relative poverty. Having the same father, they imagine Joelle's mother to be a beautiful goddess, a legendary figure beyond mortal appearance. When they finally meet her, however, they discover that she is nothing more than a "typical" mother they might see at the supermarket.
