Anne tells Mr. Van Daan, “Remember, Mr. So-and-so, remember I’m a lady” and then he tells her, “A man likes a girl who will listen to him once in awhile…” on page 727.
a. Explain why one of these quotations is ironic.
Well, isn't that ironic! The ironic quotation here would be "Remember, Mr. So-and-so, remember I'm a lady." Why is it ironic, you ask? Well, it's because Mr. Van Daan clearly doesn't care much about Anne being a lady when he responds with "A man likes a girl who will listen to him once in awhile." So much for chivalry! It seems like Mr. Van Daan prefers a girl who follows his every word rather than someone who asserts her identity as a lady. Oh, the irony!
The quotation "Remember, Mr. So-and-so, remember I'm a lady" is ironic. The irony lies in the fact that Anne is reminding Mr. Van Daan of her gender, emphasizing the importance of being treated with respect and consideration as a lady. However, throughout the diary and the interactions between Anne and Mr. Van Daan, it becomes clear that he often disregards or belittles Anne's opinions and feelings. The irony is that while Anne asks to be treated as a lady, Mr. Van Daan responds with a remark that suggests he prefers a girl who will simply listen to him, rather than express her own thoughts and opinions. This highlights the disconnect between Anne's request for respect and Mr. Van Daan's dismissal of her as an independent individual.
To determine which quotation is ironic, we need to understand the concept of irony and analyze the given statements.
Irony is a literary technique in which there is a contradiction between what is said and what is actually meant. It often involves situations that are unexpected or opposite to what is anticipated.
Looking at the quotations, we can identify the irony as follows:
Quote 1: "Remember, Mr. So-and-so, remember I'm a lady."
Here, Anne is reminding Mr. Van Daan to treat her with respect and consideration because she is a lady. The irony lies in the fact that Mr. Van Daan does not consistently show her the respect she is asking for, which is contrary to what is expected when someone identifies themselves as a "lady". Despite Anne emphasizing her femininity, her plea is not acknowledged and respected by Mr. Van Daan.
Quote 2: "A man likes a girl who will listen to him once in awhile…"
This statement by Mr. Van Daan is intended to convey that men appreciate a woman who listens to them occasionally. The irony lies in the fact that throughout the narrative, Mr. Van Daan himself often ignores or dismisses Anne's opinions and thoughts, showing little interest in listening to her despite his expectation of her to listen to him.
Therefore, the quotation that exhibits irony in this scenario is Quote 2: "A man likes a girl who will listen to him once in awhile…" because it contradicts Mr. Van Daan's own actions and lack of regard for Anne's perspective.