Irony of Affection
The novel opens with a line that dubs the story as a love story since the main characters pursue it throughout. Though Jake is a ruthless man with a tough exterior, he seeks love whenever he can get it. Ironically, he engages in violent behavior and acts erratically but longs for affection from every woman he meets.
Irony of Alliances
The political and religious differences in the narrative define the Belfast that the characters reside in. However, the labels that everyone identifies with are not the concern of the individuals depicted in the novel. The two main characters hail from opposite sides of the religious conflict but their friendship flourishes despite external pressure.
OTG
This graffiti that appears several times on the streets of Belfast during the political conflicts causes fear. They attempt to decipher the meaning of the lettering to understand the sense of fear that it brings. Ironically, they find that the initials have no particular meaning even though they instill fear in people.
Social Climate
The narrative takes place during a dark time in the history of Irish people when the political instability affected their social life. Though the Troubles act as the backdrop, the social climate around the characters is quite opposite to the expectations. The characters go through daily life barely unaffected by the happenings except for the bombing incident.