Which term describes the contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs in a narrative?

• A. Dramatic irony
• B. Irony
• C. Verbal irony
• D. Situational irony

Answer: (B)

Irony centers on a mismatch between what people expect and what actually happens. In a narrative, that gap between anticipation and reality is what gives readers a twist or surprise, often revealing deeper meaning about characters or the situation. While there are specific flavors—such as dramatic irony, where readers know more than characters; verbal irony, where someone says the opposite of what they mean; or situational irony, where the outcome defies expectations—the broad, overarching term for this contrast is irony. So describing the contrast between expectation and reality with irony captures the general idea, and it’s the term that fits the question’s focus.