Success
Vic has always been a diligent and hard-working person, who doesn’t believe in a “free meal”. Such exceptional devotion to work allows him to earn enough money and “now he is a proud owner of four toilets – damson, avocado, sunflower and white, all centrally heated”. The narrator ironically states that it is “an index of success”. The irony is that in spite of the fact that Vic has a big house with four toilets, a family and a car, he doesn’t seem to be happy or successful.
Problems of the rich
Vic has to install an alarm system in order to be sure that no one breaks into a house at night or when a family is out. Raymond says that it is “suffering of [the] rich”, for him the whole situation is humorous. The irony is that it is not “suffering of [the] rich”, probably, it is suffering of poor which makes others do everything possible in order to protect their houses. High unemployment makes more and more young people become criminals of all kinds. Being deprived of a possibility to find a well-paid job they rob houses and attack innocent people. Living with his parents, Raymond doesn’t really realize how many problems are in the world and how lucky he is to be born in a family which provides him with everything he needs.
A comfy life
Like many other young people, Raymond thinks that he understands a life better than his parents do. It is a reason why he doesn’t lose a chance to mock them or make fun of them. The irony is that in spite of all the mocking, disdain, and jokes, Raymond continues to live at home and to “enjoy its comforts and conveniences”.
