To create an intriguing story, authors often use situational irony. Situational irony is when the opposite of what the readers expect to happen occurs in a story. This creates an element of surprise. In “The Ransom of Redchief” by O. Henry, situational irony generates a humorous effect. Similarly, Guy de Maupassant uses situational irony in the necklace so that the reader feels sorry for the main character in “The Necklace”. These two stories highlight how authors use situational irony to affect the audience’s emotions. In “The Ransom of Redchief,” by O. Henry, the author uses situational irony to spawn a humorous effect. On example is that when the boy is in custody, he is ecstatic. Usually, when people are a captive, they are panicking.
