The Man in the High Castle

The Man in the High Castle Irony

The Mickey Mouse Wristwatch (Situational Irony)

Mr. Tagomi has finally selected an appropriate item for his meeting with Baynes. Baynes accepts the box from him with great respect...and is stunned to discover that there is a Mickey Mouse wristwatch inside. This cheap, childish item might almost seem rude to give a well-respected trade emissary, but to Tagomi, the wristwatch is a priceless American artifact.

The Grasshopper Lies Heavy (Dramatic Irony)

Wyndam-Matson thinks that this is an outrageous book, but as the reader knows, this is in fact the way that history turned out in the real world (though the Allies were not victorious in precisely the same way that they were in the book). This incident increases the reader's respect for the girl, and disdain for Wyndam-Matson.

Faulty Fakes (Situational Irony_

Ray Calvin angrily calls Wyndam-Matson after his conversation with Childan, telling him that his products are lousy fakes. Wyndam-Matson replies that Calvin always knew they were fakes, but Calvin replies, "I knew they were fakes. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the lousy part. Look, I'm really not concerned whether some gun you send us really was used in the Civil War or not; all I care about is that it's a satisfactory Colt .44 item whatever-it-is-in your catalog. It has to meet standards" (pg. 61). It is ironic that Calvin is so concerned with the "standards" of an item that, as a fake, is inherently disingenuous.

A Very Effective Fake Gun (Situational Irony)

When the German soldiers come for Baynes, Tagomi shoots them with a forged antique pistol. He kills one, injuries the other, and prevents Baynes' capture. Even though the pistol itself is a fake (meaning it does not actually date from the Civil War), its effects are very real.