Irony is about expectations and opposites. There are three types of irony.

  1. Verbal irony is when a character or person says one thing but means the complete opposite. This is more commonly known as sarcasm.

  2. Dramatic irony is when a character believes something and the opposite is true. The audience knows that the character is working under false beliefs. This can lead to hilarious or tragic situations.

  3. Situational irony is when the complete opposite of what is expected occurs. When most people think of irony, they are thinking of situational irony.

Irony: Introduction (Google Slide)

The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger - By L. Frank Baum

From the man who imagined the Land of Oz (WIZARD OF OZ - When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road toward the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, and on route they meet a Scarecrow that needs a brain, a Tin Man missing a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. The wizard asks the group to bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West to earn his help.) comes a short story about peer pressure and testing one's morals. Students should like reading about these memorable characters and they should find the ironic outcome to be humorous.


The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger - By L. Frank Baum (pdf) Online Version Answer Key