The Irony of Hell - “A Discussion Somewhat In The Air”
Professor Lucifer asserts, “Now, heaven is the hopeless thing, more hopeless than any hell... The fiery crypts, the lurid cellars of the underworld, to which you once condemned the wicked, are hideous enough, but at least they are more homely than the heaven in which we ride. And the time will come when you will all hide in them, to escape the horror of the stars.” According to Lucifer, hell is more comfortable than heaven because it does not contain the terrifying stars which they witnesses while flying in the sky (which is emblematic of heaven). Lucifer challenges religion’s romantic portrayal of heaven by taking Michael through a ride which is not utterly blissful.
The Irony of the Cross - “A Discussion Somewhat In The Air”
Michael narrates, “this man also took the view that the symbol of Christianity was a symbol of savagery and all unreason. His history is rather amusing... He began, of course, by refusing to allow a crucifix in his house, or round his wife's neck, or even in a picture... he saw as if by a sudden change in the eyesight that this paling was an army of innumerable crosses linked together over hill and dale.” The man in the allegory is obsessed with destroying the cross. The manifestation of ‘an army of innumerable crosses’ is ironic considering that the man inherently detests the cross. He starts perceiving the images of crosses in everything including his furniture which he dismantles. Additionally, “He burnt his house because it was made of crosses. He was found in the river.” His obsession with destroying the cross leads to his eventual destruction. If the cross were evil, it would not have destroyed him. The irony in this allegory underscores the detriments of obsession.
The Irony of Rationalism - “A Discussion Somewhat In The Air”
Michael observes, “You begin by breaking up the Cross; but you end by breaking up the habitable world. We leave you saying that nobody ought to join the Church against his will. When we meet you again you are saying that no one has any will to join it with. We leave you saying that there is no such place as Eden. We find you saying that there is no such place as Ireland.” Rationalism is destructive because it seeks irrationality in every aspect. Instead of improving the world, it encourages chaos by deeming everything irrational. The rationalists are governed by hate and intolerance which is not constructive.
The Irony of “Noah’s Ark” - “The Religion Of The Stipendiary Magistrate”
Chesterton explicates, “It was in vain that the editor of The Atheist filled his front window with fierce and final demands as to what Noah in the Ark did with the neck of the giraffe.” The account does not offer a convincing explanation of how Noah made the giraffe fit in the ark. The query concerning the giraffe’s long neck depicts gaps in Noah’s story which render it impracticable. Perhaps, if the Biblical account had included measurements of the ark vis-à-vis the giraffe's there would be no gaps in the story.
The Irony of Respect” - “The Religion Of The Stipendiary Magistrate”
Chesterton writes, “Year after year went by, and year after year the death of God in a shop in Ludgate became a less and less important occurrence. All the forward men of his age discouraged Turnbull... Year after year went by and at least a man came by who treated Mr. Turnbull's secularist shop with a real respect and seriousness. He was a young man in a grey plaid, and he smashed the window.” Evan’s act of smashing Turnbull’s window is not utterly respectful. Chesterton employs the term respect ironically to underscore that all the individuals in Ludgate were indifferent towards Turnbull’s publications. The residents with different views regarding Turnbull’s blatant atheism do not confront him because they embrace liberty; however, Evan feels that Turnbull should be confronted for encouraging atheism.
