Mechanically born children
Marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Lindley was rather unhappy. Mr. Lindley was a vicar and, although he almost had no money, he was proud of his position in society. But Mrs. Lindley hated the poverty they lived in and blamed her husband in all her woes. And it is quite a paradox: there was no love in their family, but there were lot of children, the author emphasizes that they were born every year, almost “mechanically”, the maternal duty forced upon the woman. The irony here lies in understatement of the role of children in prosperity and happiness of family.
Little men – the representative of a decent income
Mr. Massy, a new clergyman, was expected to be a handsome and intelligent man, who will be a good party for one of the vicars’ daughters. But, when he came, “there was a shock of disappointment in the house”, because Mr. Massy was: “a small, chétif man, scarcely larger than a boy of twelve, spectacled, timid in the extreme, without a word to utter at first; yet with a certain inhuman self-sureness.” But, for Mrs. Lindley only money mattered. What did the man matter, if there were pecuniary ease. The irony here lies in perception of a man as a mean of achieving some personal goals.
The specific form of humor
Mr. Massy had a specific sense of humor: “Stupidity in thinking seemed to him exquisitely funny. But any novel was unintelligibly meaningless and dull, and to an Irish sort of humour he listened curiously, examining it like mathematics, or else simply not hearing”. His sneering little giggle irritated everybody. This little man is depicted ironically in order to reinforce his disguise and underline the fact that, although his status demands a particular way of behavior, he doesn’t care about it.
Really a Christian or nearly an imbicile?
Mr. Massy, who was quite far from a type of “a handsome lad” is unpleasant for Louisa, and she hates when he is around, what, unfortunately, was an often event in their house. The young lady doesn’t understand what right he has to visit their place. But her sister Mary, who had an unhappiness to become the victim of his love, and regards it as a profitable unity for her parents, tries to convince Louisa, that he is a really Christian and honorable man. But, Louisa considers him nearly an imbicile rather than really a Christian. This irony shows the attitude of both sisters toward the young clergyman.
