Framed

Irony may be defined as a statement or a reality that reveals a truth that is the opposite of what has been expected or stated. Often, in literature, irony reveals hypocrisy or double standards. Many consider irony to be the highest form of humor, making it ironic that Korman uses irony so often in a novel intended for middle school readers.

One consistent use of irony in the narrative is the fashion in which adult authority figures—particularly Dr. Egan and Celia, the principal and the newspaper columnist—consistently warn youth against the influence of bad actors. They say they do not want young people to be led astray by bad examples, but they are chastising bright, highly moral young people who consistently try to do the right thing even when it requires sacrifice on their part. The unexpected twist, or irony, is that Dr. Egan and Celia are the ones spreading malice and leading people in a wrong direction. Readers may find that the most ironic statement in the novel is made by Griffin, who supports the principal’s extremely farfetched—but accurate—statement of how the missing ring was found by saying, “You can’t make this stuff up” (224). His words are not only a comment on the validity of a seemingly absurd explanation by the principal but also Korman’s subtle expression that the wild, entertaining narrative is, in fact, made up.