Wayne's Death
Readers know that Wayne has died after he drowns while playing with Cassandra Williams in the water. However, the characters in the novel—most especially Cassandra and her mother—don't really know that Wayne has died. This example of dramatic irony illuminates just how grief-stricken and in denial the Williams family is.
Cassandra meeting Wayne
In a subversion of readers' expectations, Cassandra eventually comes face-to-face with her brother Wayne, who had been missing for many years. This example of situational irony gives the book a fantasy element and illuminates how grief-stricken and depressed Cassandra still is.
Cassandra's visions
Readers know that Cassandra's visions of Wayne's face are not real. However, she does not know that they aren't real. This dramatic irony reinforces how fixated Cassandra still is on her brother's death so many years later and how unresolved her grief is.
Blame
Cassandra's father blames Cassandra for her brother Wayne's disappearance (and ultimately, death), despite the fact that Wayne's disappearance and death are in no way her fault. This causes tremendous guilt for Cassandra and changes her life for the worse.
Cassandra's mother's organization
Cassandra's mother creates an organization that aims to find lost children so that she can try and find her son, Wayne. This is unexpected because readers and Cassandra's mother know that Wayne is dead, showing that she is in deep denial.
