The nuns
The nuns in charge of the convent are ironic characters because they do the opposite of what is expected. Furlong discovers that a convent is a place of doom that is thought to be holy. Behind the scenes, the nuns use the girls in the convent for commercial purposes. One girl from the convent approaches Furlong and asks him to aid her escape because the girls in the convent are mistreated. Therefore, the convent that is supposed to be holy turns out to be a place of misery.
The girls in the convent
When Furlong comes home to discuss his plans to rescue the girls suffering in the convent with Eileen, she ironically responds that it is not their business. Aileen reminds Furlong that he has important things to do. Aileen says that the girls need fire to warm themselves like others outside the convent. In other words, Aileen suggests that these girls need men to warm them, and they should not be in the convent waiting to be nuns.
The irony of Sarah’s family
Sarah spent almost her entire life as a domestic servant for wealthy people. When she became pregnant at sixteen, her family rejected her and refused to give her any support. Ironically, Mrs. Wilson, a wealthy employer that Sarah was working for as a domestic servant, adopted Sarah's child. The family that is supposed to support one of their own when needed most decides to turn their back on Sarah.
