Question

Review the passage. The verbal irony is shown in bold. Mr. John Dashwood did not have the strong feelings of the rest of the family . . . but he promised to do everything in his power to make his sisters comfortable. His father was relaxed by such a promise, and Mr. John Dashwood had then leisure to consider how much there might wisely be in his power to do for them. He was not an unpleasant young man, unless to be rather cold hearted and rather selfish is to be unpleasant, but he was, in general, well respected, since he conducted himself with manners in the discharge of his ordinary duties. Adapted from Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility What is the effect of the verbal irony on the passage's meaning or tone? It suggests John Dashwood is not as nice as he appears. It suggests John Dashwood is more considerate than people think. It implies other people do not like John Dashwood.​

Answer 1

The effect of the verbal irony in the passage is that it suggests John Dashwood is not as nice as he appears. The passage states that Mr. John Dashwood promised to do everything in his power to make his sisters comfortable, which seems considerate and kind. However, the following sentence reveals that he may not be as pleasant as he seems, as it describes him as "rather cold-hearted and rather selfish." This contrast between his promise and his true nature creates verbal irony. It implies that John Dashwood may not genuinely care for his sisters' well-being and that his actions may be driven more by self-interest than by genuine concern.

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