Irony of the beginning
At the beginning of the novel, Anita is shown to have immense pride when it comes to her home country and the leader El Jefe. She is shown looking at El Jefe’s portrait at school and thinking to herself that she has to be courageous, following his example. The irony of this beginning is shown as the novel progresses, Anita learns the dark truth about the dictator and slowly loses her pride in him and the country.
Irony of Anita’s passive observation
The novel shows how Anita’s parents are trying to hide the truth from her, thinking that she is too young to know, but she does so anyway, passively listening into their conversations and gathering parts that make her know the truth. It shows the irony of parents trying to keep their children ignorant, when they are more observant that they would have thought.
Irony of Chucha
Chucha’s appearance and her strange behavior might seem menacing, but her presence in the compound gives Anita a sense of security. Chucha guides Anita, gives her hope and courage. Ironically, she uses the impression she gives off to keep the family safe, scaring the spy maid Lorena out of the house.
Irony of El Jefe
The irony of El Jefe is the irony of dictatorship in general and pretense. While giving the people a false sense of pride and courage, he brutally kills innocent people who show any signs of opposing him, and enslaves young girls. The novel shows how this veil of pretense slowly gets lifted through the eyes of young and naïve Anita.
