Dog Woman Eating the Man's Member
While traveling to Wimbledon, Dog Woman encounters a man who taunts her, and asks her to put his penis in her mouth. Dog Woman has heard about this act, but misunderstands, and thinks that she should bite it off and that it will grow back. This episode is an example of dramatic irony (the reader knows that Dog Woman misunderstands, but she thinks the man is enjoying the encounter). The dramatic irony highlights how Dog Woman is isolated, unaware of social norms, and inclined to be rough and violent. The irony of the encounter also criticizes patriarchal and sexist expectations; many women have been socialized to pleasure men, but Dog Woman's ignorance shows that there is nothing natural or inherent about these social expectations.
The Monk and the Whore
Jordan tells the story of a city which was founded by a monk and a whore, who declared love and sex illegal, saying that "anyone found indulging in it would be put to death." As a result, the population often gets wiped out due to mass executions, and then the monk and the whore repopulate the city by having sex and producing children. Ironically, their attempts to forbid and discipline sexuality results in them having to violate their own edict; this episode is also an example of dramatic irony because readers can see that this plan will never work, but the two individuals cling to a belief that they can regulate desire. Finally, there is additional irony because the two individuals who have a negative relationship to love and desire also have professions that prevent them from experiencing these feelings in a typical way - the monk is vowed to celibacy, and the whore has sex primarily for financial motivations.
The Pineapple
Nicolas Jordan mentions that he slept with a pineapple under his bed. When his mother complains that he smells of fruit, his father replies, "How can the boy smell of fruit? [...] He hasn't been near any fruit." This statement is an example of dramatic irony because the reader knows better. The dramatic irony shows that there is often a gap between parents and children, and parents may assume that they know their children better than they actually do. Nicholas's parents have good intentions, but they don't know their son very well, and they don't take the time to understand what he actually learns and cares about.
The Ruby
When Jordan is so sick that he becomes delirious, Dog Woman begs her neighbor to cure his illness. After the neighbor cures Jordan's health, Dog Woman gives her a ruby as payment. However, rather than using the precious gemstone as a piece of jewelry, the neighbor unexpectedly eats it due to its "good properties for the blood." This ironic turn of events shows how silly it is that humans place value on gems simply because they are shiny and attractive. Food items are actually much more valuable because they can nourish someone; the neighbor's behavior seems strange, but is actually more logical than wearing jewels as a form of social display. This ironic episode is part of a pattern in which Winterson subtly subverts and criticizes socialized norms.
