Isn't it Ironic? Yah, this time I actually do think.

"The Passing of Grandison" by Charles Chesnutt (what a name!) was oozing with irony in both of its forms. First off let's discuss verbal irony because it seems more specific as opposed to situational irony which seems to be more big picture.

The first time I recognized super blatant verbal irony was when the colonel went to talk to Grandison before he embarked on his North bound journey. Upon hearing that Grandison is very happy being a slave and has no intention of leaving, the colonel beams and think to himself regarding the abolitionist, "What cold-blooded heartless monsters they were who would break up this blissful relationship of kindly protection on the one hand, of wise subordination and loyal dependence on the other!"

Although this may be what the character is convinced of it's highly unlikely that Chesnutt a major advocate for ending racial discrimination felt this same way. Therefore, I believe this is a great example of verbal irony in which the author writes something he does not mean to be true. He's almost mocking this mind state with a sarcastic tone.

Another example I found is more subtle and even though I feel like there is a strong sense of sarcasm coming from the author, Dick the character speaking the line, firmly believes it. This line is found on pg. 240 of the text. Charity has just finished telling Dick that she will marry him because he clearly cannot make good decisions and needs to be taken care of (why I date all my boyfriends). Dick replies quickly, "It's the most remarkable thing that your views correspond exactly with my profoundest convictions. It proves beyond question that we were made for one another."

Once again I just really doubt that Chestnutt thought a union for this reason was a good idea. I think this line is Chestnutt showing how clueless Dick is and that perhaps Charity better run the other way from his proposal. But at the same time if Charity thinks a good reason to marry a man is his inability to take care of himself maybe they are made for each other.

This leads into one of the many examples of situational irony that I found in this story. Charity agrees to mary Dick only after he does something of value. Little does she know that all Dick did was leave Grandison in Canada. Poor Charity. When Grandison returns I wonder if she felt that feeling in your stomach that indicates, "I've made a huge mistake."

Grandison's return in this story in itself is extremely ironic. Dick finally thinks he has succeeded in ditching Grandison after months of giving him excessive access to freedom and even alerting the abolitionist in Boston with a letter reading, "A wicked slaveholder from Kentucky... had dared to insult the liberty-loving people of Boston by bringing his slave into their midst." He continues to encourage the abolitionist of the area to take this slave (Grandison) in the name of liberty.

Grandison, however, refuses to leave Dick and even talks about how crazy the abolitionist are. The fact that Grandison stays with Dick is ironic too. Dick takes Grandison on this trip hoping to loose him, convinced that once he taste freedom he will surely eat the whole feast. Grandison does not fall for it in turn creating situational irony with the gap between what Dick thinks is going to happen and what actually does.

So when Grandison returns, the reader (or at least) I thought, "Oh, how funny. Jokes on you Dick." But Grandison is not done creating situational irony with reversals of expectation. So when he returns the colonel is like, "YES! My slave does love me." And Grandison tells him of how he was kidnapped and taken to Canada where he was kept in a shack and fed bread and water for days. The colonel celebrates and rest well knowing in his heart that he treats his slaves way better than a free black man could ever treat himself. He expects Grandison never to leave his side.

However the poor colonel's "faith in sable humanity was rudely shaken" when one Monday he awoke to find not Grandison gone but also cherished member of Grandison's family such as his wife, sister, brothers, mother, father, uncles, and aunts. Grandison once again does the opposite of what one thinks he will do, creating situational irony.