Julie's Interest in Don (Dramatic Irony)
At the start of the novel, Don meets Julie when he presents a lecture on Asperger's Syndrome. After the presentation, Julie contacts Don and asks to meet up with him; she hints at a vague interest in learning more about the topic, but clearly wants to pursue a romantic relationship. This interaction is an example of dramatic irony because the reader is aware that Julie is romantically interested in Don, but Don takes her literally and is unaware of her flirtatious intentions. The dramatic irony serves several purposes: it conveys to a reader that Don is attractive and that he probably doesn't even need to engage in the Wife Project in order to find a partner. It also shows Don's inability to accurately read social cues, and perhaps even his low self-esteem, which makes it hard for him to believe that a woman would be interested in dating him. The irony is compounded because the interaction with Julie is what sparks the idea of Don creating a questionnaire—but if he had properly understood the situation, he could have dated the woman who was already in front of him and eliminated the project altogether.
Don's "Jacket" (Dramatic Irony)
When Don first takes Rosie out for dinner, he ends up in a confrontation with the restaurant staff because when they tell him that he needs to wear a jacket, he is insistent that he is already wearing one. Don is correct (he is wearing a lightweight rain jacket), but the moment is an example of dramatic irony because the reader is aware of the fact that the staff wants Don to put on a formal suit jacket, and Don is not aware of why they want him to change into a different item of clothing. Because of this irony, the reader can find humor as the situation escalates and becomes heated. At the same time, the irony is also a powerful comment on the way language is embedded in social systems and works to convey complex and nuanced meanings that might be unavailable to someone who focused solely on literal meanings. In this case, the requirement to wear a certain type of "jacket" also signals implications around wealth and social class. Don is perfectly financially comfortable, but it would never occur to him to perform his financial status by wearing certain items of clothing.
The Dean's Sexuality (Situational Irony)
At the Faculty Ball, the Dean brings another woman as her date and shows up wearing a tuxedo, rather than the more traditional dress or gown she would be expected to wear as a woman. While Don doesn't explicitly piece together these cues, it can reasonably be inferred that the Dean is gay. This information represents an example of situational irony (a case when an expected outcome is subverted, in contrast to the reader's expectations). The Dean is initially portrayed as a character who is very concerned with maintaining appearances, keeping everyone happy, and even compromising one's values to achieve pragmatic outcomes. Don looks down at her for being someone who lacks integrity and acts in her own self-interest. The revelation that the Dean is someone in a same-sex relationship subverts readers' expectations by implying that she might be a more complex, and less villainous, character than she initially seems to be. In fact, the Dean likely encounters prejudice and also has to struggle with being herself in defiance of expectations. This situational irony reminds readers that individuals are complex and that while Don is sometimes the victim of being unfairly judged by others, he can also make unfair assumptions about others.
Chilies in Gene's Sandwich (Dramatic Irony)
One day while Don and Gene are eating lunch together, Gene becomes distressed and exclaims that Claudia has put chilies in his sandwich. He is uncomfortable due to the extreme and unexpected spiciness of his meal. This incident is an example of dramatic irony because Don (and possibly Gene) seem to think this is a true error, whereas readers are aware that Claudia did this on purpose because she is angry with Gene's philandering. The dramatic irony reveals that Don can be naïve and gullible due to his lack of contextual social awareness. It is not made clear what Gene thinks, but if he is also unaware of Claudia's true intentions, the irony is even more extreme. Throughout the novel, Gene is ignorant of the evidence that Claudia is frustrated and unhappy with his infidelity. The irony also shows that while gene selfishly prioritizes his own pleasure, Claudia focuses on caring for him and the family by engaging in domestic tasks such as making his lunch. Making food for one's partner would traditionally be an act of tenderness and care, but Claudia subverts these expectations by using a traditionally domestic and nurturing act into an opportunity to lash out and express her anger.
