Essay Questions

Explicate the irony of Myra’s abhorrence for the stage. - “The Speculations of Jefferson Thorpe”

Myra’s detestation for the stage is ironic considering that originally, she desired to be a famed actress: “So, of course, as soon as Jeff made the fortune, Myra had her resignation in next morning and everybody knew that she was to go to a dramatic school for three months in the fall and become a leading actress.” Her father’s fortune assured her that she would get sufficient funds to pursue drama studies. However, when she fails in her endeavor, she goes “back at the Telephone Exchange—they were glad enough to get her, and she says now that if there's one thing she hates, it's the stage, and she can't see how the actresses put up with it.” Her loathing is ironic considering her primary aspirations. Missing the dreams stimulates her to abhor the stage. Psychoanalytically, she depicts projection; she projects her loathing onto the stage because it is what she had sought, yet it is beyond her realization. Perchance, if she had succeeded in undertaking her studies at drama school, the revulsion would have been non-existent.

Describe the irony of the Whirlwind campaign. - “The Whirlwind Campaign in Mariposa”

Stephen Leacock acknowledges that despite superfluous money being raised, “It was disappointing, yes. In spite of all the success and the sympathy, it was disappointing. I don't say it didn't do good. No doubt a lot of the men got to know one another better than ever they had before. I have myself heard Judge Pepperleigh say that after the campaign he knew all of Pete Glover that he wanted to. There was a lot of that kind of complete satiety. The real trouble about the Whirlwind Campaign was that they never clearly understood which of them were the whirlwind and who were to be the campaign.” Considering that the goalmouth is to fundraise finances, which is attained, it is ironic for Stephen Leacock to assert that the campaign is ‘disappointing’. Leacock’s ironic remark accentuates that there were joyriders (whom the whirlwind represents) and unwavering individuals (who sponsored the campaign), but it could be challenging to catalogue the explicit individuals who qualify for the two categories. Accordingly, some individuals were resolute to make the campaign a triumph whereas others were by-standers who watched without momentous contribution to the campaign’s triumph.