Mochamad Fuad Almsyah

160221602816
Basic Analysis of Prose/B/Thursday 9-10

The Art of Showing Irony Through Humor

Irony and humor are two things that sometimes happen in the human’s life.
Although two of them somehow are very likely two very different things, put them
together in a written text can be an excellent way in delivering a story. Just like a
short story that narrated by Larry in which telling the story from his past. Larry
recalled his memory in the past, retold an irony about his father drunkenness and as
well as about himself who got drunk and imitated his father’s behavior. In the short
story, the writer, through Larry deliver the art of showing irony through humor in
these following ways.
Firstly, the writer delivered the irony through humor by the use of the point
of view. The writer used first person point of view in writing the short story. The
writer, through Larry then started the story by recalling his past who needed to
accompany his father to attend his friend’s funeral. By the use of the first point of
view, the writer is successfully delivered the irony that happened in the Larry’s past.
In this case, the use of the first point of view is an excellent way in retelling past
events. Moreover, the writer was successfully combined humor in the way Larry
retold his past.
Secondly, the writer delivered the irony in humorous way by the portrayal
of what Larry done and the use of utterances he made. There are numerous funny
and sarcastic utterances that can be found in the story. For example, like when Larry
got drunk and imitated his father behavior. In this scene, Larry spoke in such funny
way, spelled “you” became “ye” and the reader can imagine what kind of drunk act
he done and of course will laugh with it. Another example is like what Larry’s father
said after the drunk accident, he said “Never again, never again, not if I lived to be
a thousand!” and Larry narrated, “To this day I don’t know whether he was
forswearing me or the drink.”
Thirdly, the unexpected responses from the characters also played
significant role in the writer way in delivering irony through humor. One of those
unexpected responses is like what Larry’s mother showed when she saw Larry and
her husband Mick came home. The reader might expect that Larry’s mother
obviously would get mad to him because he got drunk, but in the end of the story
was found that she was did not mad with him. She kissed him and told that he is a
guardian for his father because he made her father saw his representative when he
drunk on him and because of that his father could manage to not get drunk.
All in all, we often see that irony and humor are very likely two different
kind of aspects that can create different emotions when we read a story. However,
the writer was successfully delivered the art of showing irony through humor in
such excellent ways that have been mentioned above. Therefore, I can say that this
story is interesting and very recommended to be read.