What is the irony in "The War Prayer"?
A. Most of the townspeople agree to think about the stranger's words.
B. The townspeople think that the stranger's speech doesn't make any sense, even though it is quite logical.
C. The stranger is a lunatic, so the townspeople's disbelief after his speech is warranted.
D. The pastor and the characters seriously reconsider their beliefs about war.
B. The townspeople think that the stranger's speech doesn't make any sense, even though it is quite logical.
"The War Prayer" by Mark Twain presents an elderly stranger who interrupts a fervent prayer meeting in support of soldiers heading into battle. The congregation prays for victory and the protection of their troops. The stranger delivers a "supplementary" prayer that vividly illustrates the horrific realities and consequences that their prayers for victory would bring upon the enemy, including death, suffering, and destruction.
The irony lies in the townspeople's reaction. They fail to comprehend the true meaning and implications of their own prayers for military success. Despite the stranger's logical extension of their wishes, illustrating the duality of praying for victory, they do not recognize that a prayer for their soldiers' triumph is inherently a prayer for the enemy's suffering. Instead of internalizing the stranger's message and realizing the gravity of their desires, they dismiss him as a lunatic. The irony is that the stranger's speech presents a clear and logical perspective on the brutal reality of what they are praying for, yet the townspeople are incapable of understanding this and dismiss the stranger without reflection on their own beliefs and wishes.