The Irony of Death
Catherine and Lucas believe that Simon is not dead because he has gone to heaven, where he belongs. Satirically, there is also a somber mood because Simon is gone forever. There is a strong feeling that Simon is emotionally present in Catherine and Lucas's lives, but the reality remains that death has taken him forever. Catherine tells Lucas, “And yet he’s with us still. Don’t you feel it?” Lucas supposes that the spirit of Simon is still with them. The author continues to write, “Catherine thought Simon was in the locket and heaven, and with them still.”
The Irony of Lucas Warning
Lucas is just thirteen years old, and he is trying to warn Catherine that she must be cautious in life. The reader expects it to be vice versa. Lucas tells Catherine, "You must be careful too.” However, Catherine dismisses Luca’s warning reminding him that she has nothing to worry about because she will live one day at a time.
The Irony of Luca’s sensual feelings towards Catherine
The reader does not expect a thirteen-year-old boy to fantasize about what Lucas is imagining. Lucas’ brother has just died left Catherine the woman he was to marry in a week. However, Catherine’s closeness to Lucas is even confusing him more. Ironically, Lucas is fantasizing about touching every part of Catherine's body. The author writes, “If Lucas could rise out of his body, he would become of what he saw and smelled. He would gather around Catherine as the air did, touch her everywhere. He would be drawn into her when she breathed.”
The Irony of the Machine
The machine accidentally kills Simon. Satirically, Lucas, who is disabled, is set to replace Simon at his place of work. The reader finds it ironic that a disabled boy can make the right judgment when working alongside a deadly machine. The author writes, “He’d do better at the works. If the impulse overcame him, he could shout into Simon’s machine. The machine would not care, any more than Simon had.”
The Irony of Catherine
Catherine's fiancé has just died and buried, but she is romantically associating herself with Lucas. The reader notes that even before Simon died, Lucas and Catherine were close friends. There is some sense of romance when Lucas is alone with Catherine. The author writes, “A silence passed, and she kissed him. She put her lips on his.” Lucas responds to the kiss by telling Catherine that he is in love with her forever.
