The Irony of the Empire
Kublai Khan has conquered vast territories, but it is ironic that his empire is now so large that it is impossible for him to know or understand everything within.
Khan's Atlas
The emperor owns an atlas with real cities, yet Marco Polo only tells him stories of imaginary ones.
Anastasia
Marco Polo highlights the ironic nature of Anastasia by describing it as a city of desires. However, every time one desire is satisfied, another one awaits the visitor, which indicates that humans can never be fully free from desires. Therefore, "you believe you are enjoying Anastasia wholly when you are only its slave."
Fedora
Many planners tried to change the shape of the city of Fedora, but while they constructed their miniature models, "Fedora was already no longer the same as before, and what had been until yesterday a possible future became only a toy in a glass globe." Ironically, the process of rebuilding the city fails because of itself. In a metaphorical sense, the miniature models may represent various opportunities in our lives, which we should take without spending too much time contemplating their outcomes, as they vanish quickly.
Chloe
The city of Chloe is ironic in the sense that there are many people living in it, yet they are all strangers unable or unwilling to get to know each other: "At each encounter, they imagine a thousand things about one another; meetings which could take place between them, conversations, surprises, caresses, bites. But no one greets anyone; eyes lock for a second, then dart away, seeking other eyes, never stopping."
