Question

Read the excerpt below and answer the question.

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"What is that gun firing for?" said Boxer.

"To celebrate our victory!" cried Squealer.

"What victory?" said Boxer. His knees were bleeding, he had lost a shoe and split his hoof, and a dozen pellets had lodged themselves in his hind leg.

"What victory, comrade? Have we not driven the enemy off our soil—the sacred soil of Animal Farm?"

"But they have destroyed the windmill. And we had worked on it for two years!"

"What matter? We will build another windmill. We will build six windmills if we feel like it. You do not appreciate, comrade, the mighty thing that we have done. The enemy was in occupation of this very ground that we stand upon. And now—thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon—we have won every inch of it back again!"

"Then we have won back what we had before," said Boxer.

"That is our victory," said Squealer.
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This excerpt gives an example of _____ irony.

dramatic
situational
verbal
intentional

Answer 1

The excerpt from 'Animal Farm' demonstrates verbal irony, as Squealer's declaration of victory actually belies the significant loss of the windmill, highlighting the manipulation of language.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt provided is an example of verbal irony, where the actual intent of the words spoken is opposite to their literal meaning. Squealer's proclamation of a victory is ironic because despite saying they've won, they have actually suffered a significant loss—the destruction of the windmill they've worked on for two years. Boxer's commitment to the cause and his trust in the leadership makes him overlook the evident setback, while Squealer uses language to manipulate the truth and convince the animals that a loss is a victory, showcasing the deceptive use of rhetoric in the novella.