Irony of Alf the Prentice
In a story that concerns the contrast of appearance and meaning, irony plays a particularly strong role. One such obvious irony is that of Alf the Prentice, a young lad whom the older Master Cook brings on as an apprentice. He is generally looked down upon as young as inexperienced, and he is never greatly respected, but his true nature is hidden: he is really the King of Faërie in human form, older and wiser by far than everyone else in the town of Wootton Major.
Irony of the Fairy-Star
The fairy-star appears to be an small, ordinary toy star made of tarnished silver. It is, however, far more than that; it is actually from the realm of Faërie, a consumable treasure that allows the wearer to feel a particular sensitivity to Faërie and the imagination, and to make frequent trips there. Its appearance, like that of many other things in this story, belies its true nature.
Irony of the Cake
When Nokes comes up with the idea for his Great Cake, wanting to make it fairy-themed, he delegates the responsibility of crafting the Fairy Queen cake topper to his apprentice, Alf. Alf, ironically, is actually the Fairy King, and he better than anyone else knows the actual Fairy Queen. Alf, however, does his duty and creates a small, charming figurine with a wand for the top of the Great Cake.
Irony of Faërie
Far from childish whimsy, Faërie is a beautiful yet perilous place, fraught with danger and adorned with flashes of otherworldly grace. This wonderful realm, however, would be scoffed at by the majority of the population of Wootton Major as a foolish daydream, so Smith is unable to share his excitement because he knows it will simply become a target for cynicism.
Irony of Smith Smithson
Smith Smithson is perhaps the most generic name imaginable, and that is probably Tolkien's point: this man is no one special, yet he is chosen to receive the most beautiful gift in the world, called to a higher purpose. It doesn't take an unusual talent to become receptive to the imagination; it simply takes courage and faith. Smith is the central character in the story, and his life forms a fantastic story, and yet he is just an ordinary man. But perhaps the word "ordinary" should not apply to any man.
