Situational irony is defined as an incongruity between what is expected and what actually happens. Both Della and Jim have expectations about the Christmas presents they have bought for each other. But this is really Della's story, so the situational irony would have to pertain to her expectations. She has sold her hair in order to raise twenty dollars to buy Jim an expensive platinum fob for his prized gold watch. The best quote illustrating...
Situational irony is defined as an incongruity between what is expected and what actually happens. Both Della and Jim have expectations about the Christmas presents they have bought for each other. But this is really Della's story, so the situational irony would have to pertain to her expectations. She has sold her hair in order to raise twenty dollars to buy Jim an expensive platinum fob for his prized gold watch. The best quote illustrating situational irony occurs after Jim has seen her without her hair and after he has presented her with the set of tortoise shell combs. She gives him the beautiful watch-fob which has cost her such a sacrifice. In one of O. Henry's famous surprise endings he responds as follows:
“Dell,” said he, “let's put our Christmas presents away and keep ’em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on.”
Irony is usually like a joke that would be funny if it were not so painful to the person or persons affected. Here we have two foolish young people who sacrificed their most treasured possessions for nothing. They must look and feel foolish. Della would look especially foolish because her loss is so conspicuous. But the reader does not feel like laughing at them. Only the Devil himself would laugh at Della and Jim. It would be "sardonic laughter."
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