The Sadness of van der Kolk's Aunt (Dramatic Irony)
In Chapter 6, van der Kolk writes about his widowed aunt, who had a painful traumatic history. Whenever she came to visit his family, she would give stiff good-bye hugs with tears streaming down her face. She blamed the cold wind for making her cry. This is an example of dramatic irony because her body experienced the sadness that her mind could not acknowledge.
Asylums (Verbal Irony)
The word "asylum" originates from the Ancient Greek word asylon, meaning refuge or sanctuary (Chapter 2). Though asylums in the United States were established to provide safety, healing, and moral direction for the mentally ill, they eventually became overcrowded and faced budget constraints. They also often employed ineffective and even harmful so-called treatments. When compared to the real-world context, the original meaning of the word demonstrates verbal irony.
Abuse of Power (Situational Irony)
In different chapters, van der Kolk writes about working with patients who suffered from childhood sexual abuse. Chapter 11 describes a particular case in the American Catholic Church sexual abuse scandals, which gained media attention in 1980s and reached a critical mass in 2002. The fact that clergy members abused their power exemplifies situational irony.
