Isaiah Imagines Samuel (Dramatic Irony)
In the penultimate chapter, Isaiah sees Samuel join him across the river, and the two make their escape together through the woods. Isaiah reaches for Samuel, sobbing with relief that he is alive, but, in an instance of dramatic irony, the reader knows that Samuel has been hanged and burned to death by the willow tree back at the plantation. At the very end, Samuel bursts into tiny sparks of light and heat, and Isaiah is struck with grief because Samuel is truly gone.
Samuel and Isaiah Part Ways (Situational Irony)
The reader expects that Samuel and Isaiah will both be running away, as they map out an escape route together, but their beliefs pull them in different directions. Samuel ends up going to Timothy’s room and killing him with an ax, and he is caught by Paul, who deals him a mortal blow. Isaiah escapes through the woods, knowing that Samuel will not be behind him, but hoping to see him anyway.
Paul Wants Timothy to Have a Sister (Situational Irony)
Paul wants Timothy to have a sister “born out of love, not economy,” which is ironic considering Paul’s plan to force his slaves to reproduce, creating more slaves to work on his plantation. His plan is one of pure economy with no regard for love, yet he wants the opposite for himself and his family.
Samuel Searches for His Mother (Situational Irony)
Throughout the novel, Samuel searches for his mother in his memories, not knowing that his biological mother—Maggie—has been with him the entire time.
Paul Gets Robbed (Situational Irony)
Intending to sell Samuel and Isaiah to an interested buyer, Paul follows the stranger outside and gets robbed instead. It is ironic that he loses his wealth when he is expecting to increase it.
