The Candy House

The Candy House Irony

Miranda's Theories are Used By Social Media Companies (Situational Irony)

Miranda Kline is described as being a major force in the field of anthropology, as her book Patterns of Behavior offers groundbreaking insight into human behavior. She is also a staunch advocate of personal privacy. Her daughters sell her research to social media companies, which allows them to more effectively mine their users' data and predict their consumer behavior. In this instance of situational irony, Kline's work has been appropriated and used for something she strongly opposes.

Bix Donates Money to Mondrian (Situational Irony)

At the end of his life, Bix donates a large sum of money to Mondrian, the company that helps people elude Mandala's data collection. He does so because, as his son Gregory assumes, he regrets the impact his company has had on the world. The donation represents his attempt to staunch the negative impact Mandala and its applications have had on the world. In this instance of situational irony, Bix's final act is an attempt to undo everything he has worked to create.

Roxy is Hopeful About the Future (Dramatic Irony)

At the end of the chapter "Bright Day," Roxy expresses hope for the future, imagining that she will join Chris and Molly's game of Dungeons and Dragons. Unfortunately, the reader already knows that she dies of an overdose in the months following this day. Her circumstances will not improve, as she had hoped. In this instance of dramatic irony, her hope for a brighter future is ultimately misplaced, as the reader knows things will not improve for her.

Chris is the Protagonist (Dramatic Irony)

In Chris's chapter he constantly reflects on how he does not feel like the protagonist of his own story. He feels confined to a supporting role in his romantic relationships and friendships. He feels it is the reason he ends up stuck with a stranger's suitcase, as he is never able to put his own needs first. As the reader already knows, Chris will go on to become the leader of Mondrian, a company that combats Mandala and its invasion of personal privacy. In this moment of dramatic irony, he fails to foresee how important he will be to world events.