Common funeral ceremony
The alien race and the people from Arbre distinguish themselves as being different from the beginning of the novel. As the war between the two nations progresses, there are many casualties on both sides. This only makes the two nations hate one another even more. Because of this, it is thus ironic to see how the two nations organized a common funeral service for their fallen ones and gathered together to celebrate those who died.
Peaceful nation
When the alien race first makes contact with the people from Arbre, they do it because they want to negotiate a peace treaty and to avoid a possible conflict. The government forces from Arbre claim from the first encounter that they are only interested in the idea of peace and that they will do everything they can to avoid a violent clash between the two nations. What is ironic however is to find out that the people sent from Arbre to board the alien ship carried with them atom bombs with which they were supposed to destroy the alien planet.
Sacrificed himself
Orolo sacrifices himself in order to save essential information which will eventually save his planet from the invading alien forces. Orolo distinguishes himself as a hero in this scene and he is revered and praised after his death. What is ironic is the fact that the same planet Orolo sacrificed himself for was also the place that banished him for trying to expose the truth.
Bannished from the planet for owning technology
The planet on which the action takes place is an extremely advanced one, with access to extremely advanced technology. The population was also encouraged to come with the new technology of their own and to better the society in which they lived in. Because of this, it is thus ironic to see that a character was banished from the planet for the simple fact that he owned a video camera.
Must learn everything
In the novel, the narrator describes a selected group of people who are tasked with learning everything there is to learn about the world. Because of this, it is ironic to see that those learned people have locked themselves away and have no real access to the outside world they were supposed to learn about.
