This document provides an overview of irony and the short story "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl. It defines verbal, situational, and dramatic irony and provides examples. It also provides background on Dahl's life and style of writing vivid characters and improbable events presented as ordinary. The document guides the reader to focus on how irony affects stories and characters' perspectives of unexpected change when reading Dahl's story.
2. UNIT OVERVIEW
Big Idea:
Change
Can Be
Unexpected
1. Irony
2. Essential
Questions
3.
Perspective
← You will be reading
two stories that are
about the Big Idea.
↑
You will be looking at
how irony affects the
story and the
characters.
You will be analyzing
how the characters had
different perspectives
about unexpected
change. ↓
You will be focusing on
two essential questions.
→
3. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
• How do people respond to
unexpected change?
• How do authors use irony to build
mystery, tension, and surprise?
4. WHAT IS IRONY?
• A Surprise!
• It is the difference between what we expect
to happen, and what actually does
happen.
• It is often used to add suspense and interest.
• It is also used to keep the reader thinking
about the moral of the story.
5. VERBAL IRONY
• The simplest kind of irony.
• You use it everyday when you say one thing
and really mean another.
• It is often similar to a sarcastic response.
Example:
• When you appear to be sick and someone
asks you if you’re okay. You say “Of course!”
But in the meantime you are vomiting and
fainting and have 104 degree fever.
6. SITUATIONAL IRONY
• Occurs when a situation turns out to be the
opposite of what you thought it would be.
Example:
• The teacher’s daughter is a High School
drop out.
• The mayor’s wife gets caught stealing.
• The chef won’t eat his/her own cooking.
• The barber always needs a haircut.
7. DRAMATIC IRONY
• Occurs when the audience knows
something that the characters in the story,
on the screen, or on the stage do not know.
• This is used to engage the audience and
keep them actively involved in the storyline.
8. DRAMATIC IRONY
CONTINUED…
Example:
• In all of the Friday the 13th movies,
we know Jason is in the woods.
The characters do not. When they
go out into the woods we are
afraid for them because we know
that they are in danger. We
scream for them to run, we get
excited when they fall, we cringe
when we know that Jason is right
behind the tree.
10. ROALD DAHL (1916 – 1990)
• Born in Wales in 1916 and
loved stories as a young child.
• He was well traveled – story
ideas came from his
adventures.
• Had 5 children with his first
wife.
• Dahl’s first kids book was The
Gremlins in 1943. He was 27.
• Dahl’s real (children's) career
didn’t start until the 60’s after
he had become a father.
11. DAHL’S CHARACTERS…
Dahl’s stories are modern-day fairy tales. His universe is
one of magical happenings, peopled by
characters who are
obviously good
or obviously bad.
12. ‘THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE LAUGHED SO
MUCH HIS TEETH RATTLED TOGETHER LIKE
PENNIES IN A MONEYBOX.’
He uses descriptive language to build
a vivid picture in the mind of the reader.
13. Dahl presents unusual and
improbable events as ordinary.
‘They all peered down
anxiously at the sharks
who were cruising slowly
round and round the
peach.’
From James and the Giant Peach
14. FAMOUS CHILDREN’S BOOKS
• James and the Giant Peach
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• The BFG
• Danny, the Champion of the World
• The Twits
• The Witches
• Boy
• Going Solo
• Matilda
• The Magic Finger
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
• The Enormous Crocodile
• George’s Marvelous Medicine
• The Giraffe and Pelly and Me
• Esio Trot
• The Vicar of Nibbleswicke
• The Min Pins
15. THE EXTENDED ANTICIPATORY
GUIDE
Statement Agree Disagree Explain
Women should make
dinner for their
husbands.
Police officers’ lives
are safer than other
citizens’ lives
Pregnant women need
special, kind treatment
Women should have
interests outside of
their families
Detectives are good at
noticing details
Murderers always get
caught eventually