Death is merciless
Lucy and her brother are orphaned at an early age to face the ruthless world without maternal love. Shortly after Honoria's death, Lucy's father passes away, directing Thomas to take care of his little sister. According to Lucy, death should not be inconsiderate, and it is unfair for it to claim the lives of two parents, leaving their children orphaned. The reader finds it satirical when the author says, "He propped Lucy on his lap and bade Thomas stand close beside his rose-velvet armchair, and then with flat stilted speeches made farewell presentations. Thomas must always take care of his little sister…" Ironically, Thomas is still a young boy, and the death of his parents forces him to take care of his little sister, and he does not know how to execute that responsibility.
The irony of Mrs. Minchin
Mrs. Minchin tells Lucy how ugly the newborn is, something she should not have done. Lucy has been witnessing how her mother struggled with pregnancy, and she hoped for the best. Ironically, Mrs. Minchin, a childless woman, proudly calls Honoria's newborn baby girl ugly. The author writes, "Honoria's cries were ragged and hysterical with premonitions of doom. The baby, a daughter, was born alive. It was yellow and ugly; Mrs. Minchin told the children. "
The Irony of Lucy
Ironically, Lucy remains calm despite the news of her mother’s death. Under normal circumstances, the report regarding a loved one's death is received with shock and sad reactions. However, Lucy remains calm and finds a way to distract herself from the bad news. The author writes, “The news of the death came, it was Thomas, unsuperstitious, who burst into tears, and Lucy was undisturbed and curiously composed, having already surrendered her mother to the power of the birthmarked shadow.”
The irony of a brief distraction
Despite her initial tactic of distraction, later Lucy came to realize that the homestead was full of somber mood and her mother was no more. The harsh reality was awaiting her, and she could not distract herself for the rest of her life. The author writes, “So Lucy was left to wander alone in the parched garden where she plucked at dried flower-heads and crumpled them between her fingers….” The reader is aware that Lucy's distractions are short-lived because soon, she will face the harsh reality of life.
The irony of Thomas
At the age of ten, it is satirical that Thomas goes to a mechanical institute and comes home with electrical and engineering books. The author writes, “From a mechanical Institute, he brought home books on electrics. Autonomy, biology, and railways. He seemed to have forgotten about his sister and his childhood, and worked away emphatically, like an over-industrious adult." Thomas is also looking for ways of distracting himself from the sad news of his mother's demise, but the fact that he is reading electrical and mechanical books is satirical.
