The irony of the graduation day
Ruth was a bright student; she emerged among the best. Few days before the graduation, she was given a golden opportunity to be among the key speakers during the event. Ironically, her expectations and joy were short-lived because her mother died two days before graduation. Ruth loved her mother, and if there is one person, she wanted to attend the graduation, it was her mother. Consequently, Ruth's joy was short-lived, and the author writes, "It was graduation day at Brooklyn's James Madison High School. Ruth Bader had been chosen as just one of the four students to speak for eight hundred classmates. Instead, it was a day of wrenching grief."
The irony of the Jews of Nathan and Celia's generation
Nathan and his wife belong to the Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews who prefer assimilation to abandon their Judaism culture. However, the reader finds it satirical that Nathan and his brother married sisters, which aligns with the Judaism traditions. The author writes, "As a sign of their newfound freedom, Jews of Nathan and Celia's generation often strayed from Orthodox Judaism with all its rules and rituals."
The irony of religion
The irony of religion is portrayed when some quarters of believers think that they are better than others. Both the Jews and Christians serve one God, but there is unnecessary enmity between them. Ironically, the two catholic women believe that the presence of Jews in their houses is a sign of lousy lack. The author writes, "Two elderly Catholic women living on the same block as the Baders clung to the belief that if a Jew came into the house, especially for lunch, it would bring bad luck – a superstition they transmitted to the boys for whom they served as foster parents."
The irony of the Jewish traditions
The Jewish culture favored boys over girls, which limited the potential of women in society. Despite having the ability to achieve more incredible strides in education, it is satirical that Cilia had to cut short her studies to appreciate the place of women in her culture. The author writes, "Cilia had cut short her formal education, not just because of lack of money, but also because of conventional assumptions about the place of women."
The irony of education
Ironically, Celia represents many parents who believe that success is attached to straight As. When Kiki comes home with one B grade in her subjects, Celia refuses to accept any excuses. It is more satirical that when a child brings home a B grade, the entire house goes into mourning as one has died. The author writes, "But Celia would not accept any excuses. As another Brooklyn child recalled, if there were Bs, the whole house went into mourning. Kiki had promised herself that she would never again bring home anything less than straight As."
