Irony in “The Passing of Grandison”

This whole story is spun in irony. What you expect is constantly shifting. Because of the shifting expectations, some things are ironic immediately and some things are ironic in retrospect.

Situational Irony:

1. One good example of situational irony is found on page 234, “The colonel was beaming. This was true gratitude, and his feudal heart thrilled at such appreciative homage.” This is ironic first of all because, in our perspective, the last thing a slave should be grateful for is his slavery, and in this case this is exactly what is being expressed. What I quoted is the colonel's reaction to Grandison's confession of gratitude, which is also ironic considering the ending.
   
   
2. My second example is on page 235. The colonel is warning Granison about abolitionists, “They're a desperate set of lunatics, and there's no telling what they may resort to. But if you stick to your young master, and remember always that he is your best friend, and understands your real needs, and has your true interests at heart...” This quote is ironic on a couple different levels too. First of all, it's a counterintuitive description for us of abolitionists. More directly relating to the story though: it is ironic that, in some way, Dick really does have his best interest at heart (even though his motivations are incredibly selfish).

Verbal Irony:

1. I find most of what Grandison says to be verbally ironic. It's really hard to tell in what ways he is really sincere. His actions throughout most of the story point to complete sincerity, however the ending points to the opposite. Perhaps something changed in him on his trip back to the south.
   
   An example of this is on page 236 and occurs after Dick asks Grandison if he's met any free black folks, “Yas, suh, I's seen some of 'em. But I don't keer nuffin fer 'em, suh.” He goes on to describe them saying, “dey aint got sense 'nuff ter know dey ain' half as well off as dey would be down Souf, whar dey'd be 'preciated.”
   
   
2. My second example of verbal irony comes from Chesnutt on pag 237, “[Dick] did not even scold Grandison; how could he, indeed, find fault with one who sensibly recognized his true place in the economy of civilization...” This strikes me as ironic, because Dick is trying to make Grandison free, while all the while admiring him for sticking to his lot in life.