Gimpel's Foolishness (Dramatic Irony)
Gimpel's perceived foolishness is the central form of irony present in the story. The townspeople all believe Gimpel to be dense, illogical, and, in many ways, sub-human. Gimpel allows them to believe these things about him while he is more frequently aware of reality than he lets on. As such, the story interrogates what it means to be foolish and why the concept of the "fool" is born of a communal desire for entertainment at the expense of an individual.
Gimpel's Old Age (Situational Irony)
The concluding irony of the story is the fact that Gimpel leaves Frampol – essentially freeing himself from all those who will not let him be anything but foolish – to pursue a life of propagating foolishness. Gimpel becomes a storyteller, sharing tales that are mostly fiction with anyone who will listen. In this way, the story suggests that foolishness is in certain circumstances a necessary and enriching part of life, as it allows one to have creativity, imagination, and a sense of possibility.
