The irony of the people of Alabama
The journalists reveal that the people of Alabama are very poor. For instance, people cannot afford basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. Ironically, the people of Alabama are determined to survive and do whatever it takes to put food on the table. The reader is surprised that despite being poor, people have the energy to continue fighting for their survival.
The irony of the journalists
What is the primary motivation for the journalists to spy on the three families living in absolute poverty in Alabama? At first, the reader thinks that the investigative journalists are spying on poverty to share that information with relevant authorities to improve people's lives. Ironically, these investigative journalists want to get information so that they can write a book for commercial purposes. Therefore, the journalists intend to write a true story of the poverty affecting the people of Alabama to generate a lot of revenue.
The irony of the government
Alabama is one of the states in America but most of its citizens are languishing in poverty. According to the journalists, people living in small towns and villages are on the verge of dying from poverty. Ironically, United States is the most powerful economy with a high gross domestic product per capita. The reader fails to understand why the government, which controls many resources, cannot ensure that the poverty in Alabama is reduced significantly.
The iron of spying
The undercover work is intended to convey intelligent information regarding a particular matter for corrective action. The journalists in this book are keenly following the lives of three families without their consent. The reader does not expect the journalists to reveal to the families that they have been spying on them. Ironically, towards the end of the story, the journalists reveal to these three families that they have been spying on them! As a result, the three families are angry at these journalists, and they express their disappointment.
The irony of human beings
The poverty of the people of Alabama reminds readers that human beings are animals, and when hard circumstances arrive, they apply their animalistic instincts for survival. Consequently, the people of Alabama have complete disregard for the social order that defines humanity because they must do whatever it takes to put food on the table. For instance, there is no social order in Alabama because people do not see the need to follow laws that do not help them eliminate poverty and give them opportunities to better their lives.