The Fate of Mrs. Trigg
Though Nat and his family experience a strange night involving a birds’ attack everyone else seems less than fascinated by the occurrence. One such instance is the Trigg household where the wife expresses her skepticism by making fun of Nat’s situation. Rather than seek more insight into the incident, Mrs. Trigg asks sarcastic questions regarding the birds. Ironically the Trigg household is attacked that night by birds and the farmer’s wife is killed in her bedroom alongside her husband.
Mr. Trigg’s Arrogance
Similarly, Mr. Trigg responds casually to the incident that Nat is attempting to find a valid explanation for. Mr. Trigg claims that he has a gun and in case of an attack he will indeed have a blast shooting the birds. He places his faith in the weapon ignoring the unbridled power of nature and in this case the flock of birds. Ironically, he is among the first victims to die from the attack unable to protect himself with the gun beside him.
The Apple Tree
The short story “The Apple Tree” has several instances of situational irony from the onset. With his wife’s passing the protagonist has newfound freedom from the shackles of a strained marriage that seemed inescapable. Shortly after, the apple tree thought to be barren starts to blossom and produces fruits, which is perhaps a reincarnation of his dead wife. Ironically, akin to his marriage, the man feels trapped with the tree haunting and consuming his every thought. Moreover, the apples produced taste fine to other people but rancid to him in a sort of poetic justice.
The Grass is Not Greener
In “The Little Photographer” a Marquise feels trapped in a marriage constantly in the public eye and seeks to free herself from the chaos. She is envious of her friends who seem to enjoy the romance and lack of restrictions in their private relationships. Therefore she begins an affair with a young photographer while on vacation away from the limelight. Ironically the affair becomes suffocating similar to her marriage as the photographer becomes clingy and possessive. In her desperate attempt to spice her life up she ends up having to save the marriage she was willing to destroy.
