Situational Irony: Josh's Anger
Josh loves basketball and competition so much that he becomes jealous when his brother starts "slacking off" to date Alexis. He wants to get a girlfriend too, but he's dedicating nearly all of his time to the sport. When he throws the ball aggressively at Jordan, Josh is suspended from the team. He ends up losing the one thing he loves most because he ironically tried to hold onto it so hard as to attempt to control his brother's actions.
Verbal Irony: Uncle Bob
At Thanksgiving, Uncle Bob makes dinner instead of Grandma, and Josh wryly describes his uncle as a guy "(who smokes cigars / and thinks he's a chef / because he watches / Food TV) [78]." Josh's tone is ironic because obviously watching Food TV does NOT make someone a chef, and this tone of amused annoyance characterizes all of the family members who have to put up with his greenish ham.
Verbal Irony: Hummus
Mom sits Josh down to talk to him about Grandpop's hypertension and the need for Dad to eat better. She asks Josh at the end of the conversation to help her out and to understand where she is coming from. In an ironic tone he thinks to himself, "And I understand more than she thinks I do. / But is hummus really the answer?" (98.) His dislike for hummus and his dissatisfaction with having it for his victory dinner, no less, contributes to his wry observation that while he understands the gravity of the situation for Dad, hummus is a lame and ineffectual way to go about change.
Situational Irony: JB's Shyness
As Josh observes, it is ironic that his brother, who projects such swagger, is so shy when it comes to talking with Alexis, a girl who clearly likes him.
