The irony of the gladiator fans
The gladiator games have a huge fan base on television and arenas. Fans have their specific favorite fighters and follow them keenly on the TV series that broadcast live the gladiator games. Ironically, the same fans fear physically meeting their favorite fighters because they are extremely dangerous. The combatants in the gladiator games are extremely dangerous criminals convicted of murder, robbery with violence and other lethal crimes.
The sponsors (corporate entities)
The sponsors are ironic characters in the novel. The sponsors are the corporate entities that create and sponsor the CAPE channel that broadcasts the live gladiator games. The irony of the sponsors is that they do not care about the death of participants. When interviewed, the sponsors claim that they are concerned about human lives, but on the contrary, they support the killings during the games.
The irony of the American prison system
The American prison system is another big paradox. The prison authorities argue that jails are correctional facilities intended to tame and correct criminals. Ironically, the prisons are slavery dens where people are discriminated against based on skin color. For instance, Black inmates are convinced to join the CAPE program, where most die within the first three months.
