The Irony of “Mountain lions make bets with rabbits” - “Creation Stories”
Kingsolver suggests that in Tucson, “lions make bets with rabbits” which is one of the reason why creators prefer the locality. It is ironic for lions and rabbits to participate in bets considering that lions are carnivores who hunt rabbits for their meals. The ironic betting underscores the friendly nature of Tucson which offers all wildlife equal chances of survival. Tucson is an utter wilderness which accommodates all manner of wildlife.
The Irony of “Anticipated Peace” - “Making Peace”
Kingsolver writes, “ I struck out for Walden…I anticipated peace." Kingsolver anticipates that residing in a desert would accord her peace because she would be far from the annoying kids who bothered her previously. However, her anticipation is ironic because "Night after night, they ( the pigs) returned. The accord seemed to be : You plant, we eat. The jackrabbits were hungry too." In the desert, there is no absolute peace because the wildlife ruins her vegetable garden. Controlling the wildlife and preventing them from getting into the garden is cumbersome. Evidently, wildlife can reduce one’s peace of mind in the same way that humans would.
The Irony of “Private Property”- “Making Peace”
Kingsolver recounts, “I did not take me long in the desert to realize I was thinking like a person, and on that score was deeply outnumbered. My neighbours weren’t into the idea of private property, and weren’t interested in learning about it, either. As Kafka frankly put it, when it’s you against the world, bet on the world.” The neighbours alluded to in this passage comprise the wild animals who have no clue about the land which has been privatized by the narrator. Animals do not recognize the existence of private land because prior to Kingsolver and her husband's arrival, they roamed there freely without restriction. Accordingly, she cannot hamper the animals from getting into her home. What human beings consider to be private property is public property in the eyes of wild animals.
The Irony of “Pungent Flowers”
Kingsolver expounds, “Over weeks I tried the most pungent flowers I could think of: geraniums, marigolds. They ate everything. Rare is the epicurean pig who has feasted at such varied table as the one I provided.” The ‘pungent flowers’ are anticipated to discourage the wild animals from eating the kitchen gardens. However, the wild animals keep feasting on the gardens. The flowers’ smell is not a deterrent, regardless of its unpleasantness.
