Cherish the Bleeding (Situational Irony)
Early in the novel, Moth reflects on her former love of ballet, which she gave up following the car crash that killed her family. She says: "In New York, I used to fracture my toes in pointe shoes six days a week & cherish the bleeding." In this instance of situational irony, Moth undermines the reader's expectations by beginning the statement with a what sounds like a complaint ("I used to fracture my toes in pointe shoes") and ending the sentence with appreciation for the pain she endured. Contrary to what most people would assume, Moth didn't mind that her feet were in constant pain because that pain was necessary for her to experience the joy of ballet.
Sani's Sketch of Moth (Situational Irony)
Midway through the novel, Moth and Sani arrive at Sani's father's home on the Navajo Nation reservation. A sketch in Sani's bedroom shows a dancing girl with black and gray moths for hair; she also has a scar down her face that resembles Moth's. However, Sani drew the portrait years before meeting Moth, having seen her in a dream. In this instance of situational irony, it is suggested that Sani and Moth have an otherworldly connection and were perhaps destined to meet each other.
Sani's Father Knew Moth's Grandfather (Situational Irony)
When Moth arrives at Sani's father's house, Sani's father is standoffish, declining to look at her or speak with her. While it seems as though he will never address her, Sani's father eventually has a revelation and pulls a photograph of Moth as a child from a drawer. In an instance of situational irony, he explains to Sani that his own father knew a Hoodoo man—Moth's grandfather—and the photograph came from him. In this shocking moment, McBride reveals it is no coincidence that Sani and Moth met each other, because the Navajo man with whom Moth's grandfather was once acquainted was Sani's grandfather.
Moth Didn't Leave the Hospital Alive (Situational Irony)
After realizing that Grandfather used Hoodoo conjuring to ensure that Sani would be a guide for Moth on her way to the afterlife, Moth realizes that she died with her family following the car crash. In this instance of situational irony, Moth understands that she didn't walk out of the hospital after the accident; she died there alongside her brother and parents. With this revelation, Moth understands that she is a ghost, and Sani is able to see her because he has a supernatural ability to see the dead. Having come to this conclusion, Moth can finally move on to heaven.
