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Definition of Dramatic Irony
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given situation, and that of the... read full definition
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given... read full definition
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a... read full definition
Chapter 10: Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin
Explanation and Analysis—Waving:
In a moment of dramatic irony after being driven around in a fancy car by Marin's cousin Louie's other cousin, Esperanza describes her and the other kids waving at Louie's cousin as he is arrested:
Marin screamed and we ran down the block to where the cop car’s siren spun a dizzy blue. The nose of that yellow Cadillac was all pleated like an alligator’s, and except for a bloody lip and a bruised forehead, Louie’s cousin was okay. They put handcuffs on him and put him in the backseat of the cop car, and we all waved as they drove away.
The moment is one of dramatic irony, as the reader understands the seriousness of the situation in a way a young Esperanza does not, which makes her waving as the cop car drives away feel out of place and unexpected. This moment highlights Esperanza's naivety, as she doesn't grasp the gravity of the situation; whether the cops wrongfully arrested Louie's cousin post-accident or he stole the car to begin with, Louie's cousin is in a bad situation.
In this case, Esperanza has growing up to do but in a way that will bring her sorrow: understanding that Marin's cousin's cousin is being arrested and all that comes with that is not an experience one should look forward to, as she often does to other aspects of growing up. Ultimately, coming of age involves both ups and downs, and this one moment of dramatic irony illustrates how much growing up Esperanza has left to do and the diverse array of experiences that maturing will bring, some of which the reader is exposed to over the rest of the novel.
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