Irony of youth
With youth comes naivety, as the narrator realizes at the end. Lacking the experience he doesn't see the obviousness that those with experience, such as Captain Giles, see. In his excitement the narrator only sees the amazing position and the beautiful ship that awaits him, but doesn't see the responsibility that kind of position comes with. Captain Giles warns him of the responsibility that will face the narrator but it is only when he is faced with it himself he realizes this. The experience makes him feel much older and not belonging to the side of youth anymore and everything that felt startling and amazing seems overrated to him now.
Irony of the white men in the East
White men are treated with care and respect in East. They get the highest job positions and everything seems easy for them. However, the trouble is, as Captain Giles points, out that these white men need to stay white which proves to be quite difficult in these parts.
Irony of the Stewart at the Officers' Home
Stewart at the Officers' Home is an anxious man who seems to be really troubled by the consistent stay at the Home by one of the seaman named Hamilton. The letters for narrator to come for an interview about the position as a captain of the ship come to his hands first. He hides them and informs Hamilton about the job. Eventually, the narrator gets a hold of the letters and gets the position. If it were found out that the Stewart was hiding the letters it would cost him his job and therefore his life. The narrator is baffled and doesn't understand why he risked it. The irony is that the man would risk his whole life just to get rid of the measly trouble that Hamilton causes him.
