Belinda White's ironic intention
For an innocent candy store clerk like Belinda White, it seems almost absurd to imagine that she might have murderous or vile intentions, but when the children start to learn more about her, they realize that she is actually quite threatening. Throughout the book, the reader watches as White goes from a good guy to a bad guy. By the end of the book, she has kidnapped and held children hostage in a selfish attempt to obtain immortality. Her magical nature is also predatory and therefore quite dangerous to the children.
The drama of obedience
The dramatic irony of obedience is that the children have to obey because they trust Belinda White. At first, she lures them with sweets, basically leading them toward some kind of employment, but instead of hiring them, she basically tricks them into an obedience that she wants to exploit for her own secret purposes. They are prohibited by dramatic irony from knowing for sure whether they can actually trust her or whether she will betray them. Another ironic note here would be to notice that in the end, her plan actually succeeds.
Stott's involvement
Stott's entire involvement in the plot is ironic in the dramatic sense. The children don't know whether he is the evil person or whether it is Belinda. Ironically, it is White who is threatening to murder someone who to the children is merely a curious stranger. Out of the two, Stott seems nearly innocent. Before long, the children realize that the two are in competition with one another for the right to obtain the water of life from the Fountain of Youth. This means that they never do trust Stott truly. The children play the two witches against one another like bickering parents.
The Fountain of Youth
The irony of the Fountain of Youth is dual. The first irony is structural because it relates to the shape of the plot. By having Nate obtain water for her, Belinda's intentions succeed, even though one might argue she is in fact the antagonist of the story. It is ironic that she should succeed, but it is also doubly ironic in the points of view of the children because the kids are not familiar with any knowledge of time and age. The elderly woman is motivated in a way that is simply absurd to children who have never tasted the fear or death and time.
Secrets and irony
This novel is full of secrets. Belinda White's motives are secret for a long time. She tells the children something that raises way more questions than it answers when she reveals that she is a witch. The children decide to conspire against her by keeping their own allegiance secret. They tell Stott about the attempt on his life, but they don't know what he really thinks (basically ever) because he is so secretive himself. Belinda's whole character depends on secrets. This is all ironic information, because secrets invoke drama through irony. When the reader doesn't know what to expect, everything is ironic because everything is unexpected.
