The Irony of the Hour of Departure
At the end of the novel, Denis, having being convinced that he had lost Anne’s love to Gombauld, decides to fake a telegram and go back immediately to London. To his surprise, Anne shows genuine unhappiness at the thought of him leaving. All throughout the novel, Denis had been longing for a sign of affection from his beloved, and it was only when he gave up and decided to go away that he received it. What he desired more than anything in the world came to him ironically when it was too late.
Unrequited love
Denis decided to leave Chrome after overhearing a conversation between Anne and Gombauld. His decision was prompted by a discovery made from fragments of words and sentences that came to him in the dark. Thus, he convinced himself that leaving was the best way to avoid further pain and heartache. At the hour of departure, however, Anne seemed genuinely saddened by his removal. In this manner, Denis’ attempt to shield himself from further pain ironically resulted in the biggest heartache ever, for it deprived him of an opportunity to stay and win the love of the woman who had begun to show signs of affection towards him.
Dramatic Irony
While the characters are oblivious of each other’s states of mind, the reader is made cognizant of the ironical situation entangling the potential lovers of the story. Denis, for one, is crippled by shyness and insecurity to the point where he cannot even perceive the signs of obvious affection made by Anne. When she tells him, “I like you so much in white trousers”, his self-consciousness transforms this open compliment into an embarrassing comment regarding his appearance, which gives the tale a touch of dramatic irony beholden by reader alone.
Hero and Heroin Separated
Throughout the book, the reader might expect Anne and Denis to end up together. Ironically, the last few passages of the novel separate the hero and heroin from one another with a strong emphasis on the fact that such an end was the result of their own acts and misjudgment.
Irony of assertiveness
If Denis would have been more forthcoming about his feelings, he may have secured Anne’s affections. Ironically, the only assertive action Denis takes in relation to Anne (sending the fake telegram) ultimately results in their separation.
Assertiveness at the Wrong Time
Denis’ lack of assertiveness was the source of all his sorrows throughout the story. His timidity and self-consciousness had often paralyzed him when action would have won him the heart of the woman he so much loved. Ironically, however, Denis committed himself to immediate action at the very moment of Anne’s softening towards him. Had he been as determined in confessing his love to her as when he decided to go away, the two would have ended together.
The Irony of Winning Nothing
“The two gentlemen were engaged at the moment in congratulating the winner of the race; it seemed an act of supererogatory graciousness; for, after all, she had only won a heat.”
This passage describes the winning ceremony following one of the events in the Chrome charity fair. The depth of this quote goes beyond the plot itself, and reflects the author’s own existential ideas. From the one hand, the girl has won nothing by her efforts except fatigue, which is one way to look at the world. Nihilists believe that life is meaningless. Therefore, no matter how great our efforts might be, the sum total is equivalent to the symbolic “no prize victory”. On the other hand, however, the opposite view point emphasizes the positive response of an individual, who had exerted herself to win nothing in particular, but who was happy and contented with her victory nonetheless. This ambiguous passage leaves the door open to the reader and his own interpretation and beliefs.
Fooled by the Fool
“And he had thought her a simple-minded, uncritical creature! It was he, it seemed, who was the fool.”
This passage reflects the irony of Denis’ ignorance about other people. At the beginning of their acquaintance, he had thought of Jenny as a simpleton because of her long intervals of silence and self-isolation. It was he, however, who proved to be a simpleton, for he could either see through Jenny’s character nor perceive her full cognizance of his state of mind. In short, Denis was fooled by the one person he thought was a fool.
