Irony of jealousy
Keiko is jealous about the relationship between Oki and Otoko. She can see that there is something between them, and understands that she can never compete with him, as he was Otoko’s first love and impacted her life dramatically. Due to Keiko’s jealously she tries to seduce Oki, however this backfire as she makes the situation worse between herself and Otoko. As such, her actions to try and strengthen the relationship actually weaken it.
Irony of beauty
Keiko is described as being a very beautiful character, and it is for this reason she can easily seduce Oki. However, of all the characters she is perhaps the least beautiful on the inside, due to her manipulative, jealous nature. Her beauty is described as “eerie”, which hints at the more sinister side of her character.
Irony of beauty and sadness
Although these concepts should not theoretically be found together, they occur together numerous times in the book. For example, landscapes are described as beautiful, but also as provoking a feeling of sadness and melancholy. Additionally, the beauty of love is often contrasted with the pain and sadness of separation and heartbreak.
