Question

At the beginning of the story, Mrs. Delacroix and Tessie Hutchinson seem to get along; however when Tessie "wins" at the end, Mrs. Delacroix grabs a stone so large she has to hold it with both hands and rushes it to the front. Since the outcome of this scenario was the opposite of what was expected, what literary device is in play?

1) Simile
2) Metaphor
3) Irony
4) Personification

Answer 1

The literary device at work when Mrs. Delacroix stones Tessie Hutchinson after being friendly is irony, specifically situational irony, where the outcome is the opposite of what is expected.

Step-by-step explanation:

The literary device in play at the end of the story, where Mrs. Delacroix picks up a stone to participate in the stoning of Tessie Hutchinson after initially appearing friendly towards her, is irony. Irony often involves a contrast or discrepancy between expectations and reality, leading to an outcome that is the opposite of what one would expect. In this case, the friendship turning into outright hostility and violence is a form of situational irony, where the actual outcome is different from what anyone would reasonably expect.