The Polar Express Irony

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The Polar Express Irony

The irony of Chris

When Chris hears about Santa's bells from a friend, he refuses to believe him. Chris takes an adventurous journey to the North Pole using the magical Polar Express train. Chris doubts the existence of Santa, and like many other children on the train, they do not expect to meet the real Santa. Ironically, when Chris arrives at the North Pole, he sees the real Santa, and he hands him a gift to cast out his doubts.

The magic bell

When Santa gives Chris a magical bell as a gift, he guards it tightly to ensure he arrives home safely with it. Ironically, Chris arrives home and realizes he no longer has the bell. Magically, Santa fixes his pockets, and he discovers the bell under a tree the next day. Only Chris hears the sound of the bell when it rings.

Hobo

Hobo is a paradoxical character. After all, when he boards the train, he does not pay because he behaves like a ghost. Chris does not like Hobo's behavior because if children can pay for their tickets, a grown-up like Hobo should be a good example, but he does the contrary.

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Study Guide for The Polar Express

The Polar Express study guide contains a biography of Chris Van Allsburg, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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