Irony of Lee’s anger towards Angela
After discovering Angela in their apartment with another guy Lee is enraged and calls her derogatory names, expressing his disappointed. Lee leaves and in an anger-filled walk thinks how Angela doesn’t love the guy, how their relationship is physical and how she is cheap. Then he reveals the truth and irony behind his anger towards Angela, namely, her refusal to be cheap with him too.
Irony of Lee’s attitude towards his job in journalism
Lee takes on the job at Telegram simply because it’s a job, but he soon finds himself competing for work and being jealous of other workers’ successes. He has a nonchalant attitude towards his job, but often finds himself enjoying it more than he thought he would.
Situational irony - Lee and Angela
Lee and Angela form a close relationship and as the novel progresses the tension between them grows, making it believable that they might end up together. Nevertheless, this doesn’t turn out as expected, Angela leaves and Lee becomes an actual reporter. This unexpected turn in their relationship that helps the theme of Lee’s growth makes for situational irony.
Fear of war
The novel is set during the 1950s in the time of the Cold War. There are a few instances of commentary on the situation, including Angela’s rant about Communism and the injustice those who follow it face as well as Lee’s take on the fear of war and bombing with the use of verbal irony:
“And even the ones who said bomb shelters were crazy kept a few tins in the basement, just in case.”
