Together Yet Alone (Situational Irony)
Sonia and Sunny can be seen to be living their reality close to each other, yet both remain lonely. The irony that lies here is that Sonia has an opportunity to be with someone, but that presence fails to shield her from loneliness, and she is not understood.
Family as Support (Situational Irony)
The family is expected to offer the child a sense of emotional security, but this becomes an arena for the child to feel pressures of silence and misunderstandings. Interestingly, this institution, which aims at combating the effects of loneliness, instead becomes a cause for the same.
Love as Fulfillment (Thematic Irony)
Romantic love is idealized as the panacea for the problem of loneliness, yet the relationship between Sonia and Sunny does nothing to alleviate the emptiness they experience. The irony in this lies in the recognition that love cannot heal the unresolved internal disproportion.
Education and Awareness (Dramatic Irony)
Both characters possess education and an awareness of what they are going through, but they are unable to express feelings or improve circumstances. The reader senses the irony between what one knows and the ability to feel.
Silence as Peace (Situational Irony)
Silence is expected to bring calm and prevent conflict, and more than that, in the novel, it causes them to feel more and more distant. This is the irony in this particular situation—what is intended to bring calm and prevent conflict is instead used to reinforce concepts of loneliness and lack of connection.
Modern Life and Connection (Thematic Irony)
Modern life Although the setting is now a contemporary and socially engaged one, the characters are still left with a sense of being invisible and alone. This is the irony of being able to engage with others and have the opportunities that they want, but at the same time, not being able to feel anything.
Self-Reliance (Situational Irony)
Sonia & Sunny attempt to cope with pain on their own because they realize that resilience is the hallmark of strength. But ironically enough, this independence keeps them immune to vulnerability, thereby making this loneliness a permanent phenomenon.
