Irony in “Desiree’s Baby” Irony in literature adds a certain depth and poignancy which makes reading fiction so engaging. In addition to supplying wordplay and humor, it sometimes plays an integral role to the tone and outcome of a story. Irony is not to be interchangeable with sarcasm, although verbal irony typically employs a sarcastic voice for its message. Sarcasm by definition in Perrine’s Literature as “...language one uses to belittle or ridicule another” (Arp 359). Verbal irony is quite different in its definition. Verbal irony, the easiest form to identify, varies slightly. This form simply means that the speaker’s intent differs from what he or she says. The other two forms of irony are dramatic irony and situational irony. Dramatic
