Irony of growing up
The narrator introduces himself as a person who always had seemed to be ridiculous, or rather he always had been ridiculous. Even when he “went to school, studied at the university, and, do you know, the more I learned, the more thoroughly I understood that I was ridiculous”. The irony is that education and obtaining knowledge had not made him serious.
Pride against absurdity
The narrator says that the only person who was aware of his absurdity was himself, but he never confessed it to anyone else, because was very proud. He claims that “it was his fault” as “pride grew in me with the years; and if it had happened that I allowed myself to confess to anyone that I was ridiculous, I believe that I should have blown out my brains the same evening”. The irony shows that people are aware of their flaws but resent to accept this awareness.
Truth is funny
The narrator dwells on the time when he had been spending the evening with friends. “I sat silent--I fancy I bored them. They talked of something rousing and suddenly they got excited over it. But they did not really care, I could see that, and only made a show of being excited. I suddenly said as much to them. "My friends," I said, "you really do not care one way or the other." They were not offended, but they laughed at me. That was because I spoke without any not of reproach, simply because it did not matter to me. They saw it did not, and it amused them”. The situation exposes the very meanness of human nature – people pretend to care, but in fact they don’t care. The narrator is extremely honest, and while this characteristic should meet approval, it meets laughter instead. The irony is painful.
Saved by a girl
One night the narrator was on his way home with a definite intention to commit suicide, but he was stopped by a girl. Poorly dressed she asked for help – her mother was dying, but the narrator only shouted on her and went home. At home he continued thinking about this girl, and feelings of remorse were rising within him. Thus he had not shot himself. The irony is that the girl who needed help had saved this man, who desperately wanted to die.
Against belief
One irony is the fact that after having committed suicide (even in his dream) the narrator got into the paradise, which is against the beliefs of Christianity.
