Narrator's Grandmother Causes Multiple Deaths (Situational Irony)
In the second part of the book, the narrator describes his grandmother's fixation on bringing her uncle home from Dhaka. She claims that it is because she wants to bring part of her family back together. This desire precipitates the family's trip to Dhaka and leads to their violent encounter with an angry mob. In the moment, she abandons her uncle, causing May to attempt to save him. Tridib rushes in and pushes her out of the way and is killed by the mob, along with the grandmother's uncle, and his caretaker Khalil. In this moment of dramatic irony, the grandmother's desire to reunite her family has in fact permanently broken it.
Ila Wants to Be Free (Situational Irony)
During one of her visits, Ila claims that she has to live in London, as it is the only place where she can be free. She finds Calcutta, and her family's traditional point of view, to be stifling and outdated. She marries Nick Price and initially appears to be happy. However, she eventually learns that he is cruel and dishonest, as he cheats on her with multiple women and shows no remorse. The narrator notes that in this moment she seems to realize that her life in London has left her trapped and limited in all of the ways she was trying to avoid. In this example of situational irony, Ila has put herself in the exact type of situation she was pointedly rejecting.
Shaheb's Promotion Allows the Narrator's Grandmother to Go to Dhaka (Situational Irony)
The narrator's grandmother dislikes Shaheb, Tridib's father, a great deal. She thinks he is bad at both his work and at fulfilling his role as a husband. She is shocked when the narrator's father informs her that Shaheb was promoted. However, she shifts her focus when she learns that his new position will allow her to go to Dhaka. She becomes excited when she realizes that she can go see her uncle and bring him to Calcutta. In this instance of situational irony, she is able to try and fulfill a major goal because of a person who she views as useless.
Robi Is Admired For His Decisiveness (Situational Irony)
The narrator notes that his cousin Robi is admired at his school for his single-minded commitment to his values. He is unafraid to go against popular opinion, and people are impressed by his steadfastness. However, Ila later criticizes him for behaving differently at home and abroad. Specifically, she is annoyed that he will not go out drinking in Calcutta, but drinks a great deal at his university. In this moment of situational irony, Robi shows that his values are actually not as solid as they initially appeared.
