The irony of forgiveness
Arthur never expected to work alongside the rugged man he threw a brick at while passing outside their house. After Arthur was released from detention, the judge directed Arthur to do community service, which entailed collecting trash with Mr. Hampton. Ironically, Mr. Hampton does not hold a grudge against Arthur. Arthur was sentenced for injuring Mr. Hampton with a brick, which made him stay in the hospital for some weeks. Ironically, Mr. Hampton says Arthur is innocent. After working together for a while, Arthur and Mr. Hampton become the best of friends, something that was never foreseen to happen.
The irony of Hampton’s death
One of the main paradoxes in the novel is that Mr. Hampton becomes famous after his death. While alive, nobody recognized the work of Mr. Hampton. Mr. Hampton used to collect trash and convert it into beautiful art and sculptures in his garage. Arthur was shocked to discover how Mr. Hampton converted useless trash into highly valuable items. After Hampton's death, a national museum purchased his museum and made his works public. Everyone started to talk about Mr. Hampton and his skills that conserved the environment and inspired talent and skill among the residents.
The irony of the judge
Arthur has a genuine reason why he threw the brick at Mr. Hampton. Arthur was recovering from his father's death and suddenly saw Mr. Hampton wearing his father's motorcycle cap that he collected from the trash. Arthur could not entertain seeing another person in his father's cap, and he threw the brick at him due to frustration. Arthur has never been a violent child. Ironically, the judge does not want to listen to Arthur's explanations, and he sentences him to three weeks in jail and spends the rest of the months doing community service.
