The Recruiter’s death in the bathroom stall as “sad” (Verbal Irony)
In the fire that Minerva started at the school, the narrator describes how one Recruiter “rushed to the washroom on the seventh floor, sadly in a removed area of the building without a local fire escape, sealing his fate in a stall filled with his own anxious stench.” This is an example of verbal irony, since the narrator of the story is clearly pleased by the fate of the Recruiters. The statement also offers some welcome comic relief in an often depressing and apocalyptic novel.
Minerva dies in the rescue attempt (Situational Irony)
In a tragic case of situational irony, the outcome of the group’s rescue mission is precisely the opposite of what was intended and expected. The members of the resistance camp went to great lengths to disable, capture, and even kill the Recruiters so as to rescue Minerva. But just as they are about to open the van where she has been held hostage, the driver turns out to be alive, and he shoots Minerva to death.
Clarence calls Derrick humble (Verbal Irony)
When Derrick says that he is the best hunter, Clarence retorts, “Yeah, yeah. And he’s real humble, too.” Clarence uses verbal irony to indicate that Derrick is precisely the opposite: he is impolite, showy, and conceited.
Miig and Isaac’s reunion (Dramatic Irony)
Dimaline manifies the intensity of Miig and Isaac’s reunion through dramatic irony. This is because the reader—along with the narrator, French—knows that they will soon meet each other before either of the characters do. In this way, Dimaline adds to the suspense of the emotional moment.
