Final answer:
The student's statement about situational irony could potentially be false depending on the narrative outcome. Irony is a prevalent narrative device in literature to engage readers by deflating their expectations or presenting contrasting outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question addresses the concept of situational irony, which refers to a situation where the outcome is incongruous with what was expected. In the context provided, if a character begins to listen to an account with a strong prejudice against what they are about to hear, ironically this could indicate that they may end up believing or being persuaded by the account, which defies their initial expectations. This could potentially be an example of situational irony if the outcome is that the listener's opinion is indeed swayed, contrary to their initial bias. The statement from the student's question suggests that irony is expected; however, without a narrative outcome that contrasts with the initial prejudice, we cannot confirm this as an example of situational irony, and the statement may be FALSE.
The extracts provided illustrate various uses of irony in literature. For instance, in the extract about the story tone is employed to convey a dual meaning – the surface narrative entertains the possibility of ghouls and country schoolmasters achieving high state positions, while simultaneously suggesting disbelief in the tale told. This duality is a key feature of ironic narration, engaging the reader with both the literal and the suggestive meanings.
Jane Austen often utilizes irony as a narrative device to draw the reader into her stories. She does this by deflating expectations or by presenting characters, such as Catherine in Northanger Abbey, who seem unlikely as protagonists. Through this ironic setup, Austen piques the reader's interest in discovering how such characters will navigate the challenges they face within the narrative, thereby heightening the reader's engagement.