Atheist minister
Ministry is not Philip's true calling; rather, it is only a means of livelihood for him and his family. Even though he has a congregation and teaches the word of God he does not believe in it. His passion lies in art and painting rather than religion or ministering to the worshippers. The situational irony is that he does not believe in God for a minister which emphasizes his discontentment.
Unrequited affection
There is a kind of love triangle that exists between Mrs. Bentley, Philip, and Paul though unresolved. Mrs. Bentley feels neglected by her husband because of a lack of emotional availability on his part. She becomes obsessed with making his husband return the same affection she harbors for him. On the other hand, she nurtures a platonic relationship with the schoolteacher, Paul. However, it is more than that for Paul but she does not share the same sentiment.
False-fronted prairie lives
The image of prairie towns reflects a sense of community through friendly and supportive townspeople. Furthermore, the aspect of religiosity is the essence of such towns; however, Mrs. Bentley's assessment renders the assumption false. She points out that the people who are also part of the congregation are a sham and only pretend to be morally upright.
Mrs. Bentley’s honesty
Mrs. Bentley’s opinion about the townspeople and husband is very critical as she views them as dishonest. Despite her dissatisfaction with the aspects of her life, she does not take any action towards changing them. Moreover, her interaction with others is insincere as she barely airs out her true opinions. Thus, the irony lies in the apparent honesty to the reader while exhibiting dishonesty to people around her. Mrs. Bentley is the only narrator and is portrayed as an unreliable one at that. The story is her diary entries based on her observations hence the validity is compromised.
Mrs. Bentley and Judith friendship
Initially, Mrs. Bentley believes that a good friendship will blossom between her and Judith. Ironically, as the story unfolds she becomes a source of her frustrations and misgivings. She suspects Judith and Philip are having an affair which she never proves even after her pregnancy. She puts a façade during her interactions with Judith and does not reveal her true feelings.
