Alanis Morissette and Misconceptions of the English Language David J. Downs, November 2002 Prelude Okay. I know that some of you are undoubtedly tired of hearing about this topic. I mean, it's probable you've already heard rants and raves about Alanis Morissette's mistaken interpretation of the word "irony" and its usage. If not, welcome aboard. Many other publications and essays have addressed the fact that her song "Ironic" contains a listing of situations that, while sad or perhaps even tragic, are not ironic in the true sense of the word. However, another important fact rears its ugly head as you study these essays, rants, and even most dictionary definitions. Part of the problem, it seems, is a semantic one: plenty of people apparently have no idea as to what "irony" actually is, including professors of English and lexicographers. Perhaps we can
shed some light on the subject for them. Irony: What It Is Not Some writers claim that the Morissette song does describe ironic situations. Supposed experts college English professors, for example throw around terms like "verbal irony," "situational irony," "dramatic irony," and even "Socratic irony" to defend the lyrics of the song. Such authors undoubtedly rely on interpretations of the word proffered by lexicographers, textbooks, or their own professors. Western civilization is rife with closed-minded sheep purporting to be "experts" these days, adhering to the status quo under pretence of superiority, who wouldn't know an actual insight if it bit them. Perhaps these authors do not know what irony actually is because they have simply never experienced it or are unable to grasp the concept. It is true that a certain level of abstract cognitive function and intellect is required to "get it." I'm sure you've met plenty
of college professor types with 120 IQs who posture themselves as intellectuals without the benefit of knowing what true intelligence feels like; Lord knows I have. Or maybe the stereotype is mostly true: Americans have no sense for the ironic. I read one definition claiming irony was best defined as "a type of humor based on using words to suggest the opposite of their literal meaning." One example of such humor can be found in the Morissette song; as a plane plummets toward the earth, one passenger thinks to himself, "Well, isn't this nice?" Of course, it was not nice. It was horrible and terrifying and tragic. I'd suggest, however, that this sort of statement is more precisely and correctly identified as "sarcasm," rather than "irony." Some of those same English professors may tell me that I am incorrect, or that sarcasm is indeed a form of "verbal irony." I tend to be of the opinion, however, that one should choose a single term the best word to describe a
concept, thereby refusing to add to the confusion of our already chaotic world by referring to a known concept with words that have other better meanings in other contexts. In other words, the word "irony" should be reserved for use in describing ironic situations, not sarcastic ones, and vice-versa. One website I recently visited purports to offer lesson plans relating music to other content areas. As an educator, I would prefer that such plans contain material that was useful and accurate. One plan suggested a lesson might refer to Swift's "A Modest Proposal" as an example of irony. While Swift's piece certainly contains elements of irony, sarcasm, and other critical wit, it is most accurately described as "satire." Why? Swift's objective in writing "A Modest Proposal" was not to demonstrate an ironic situation, but to ridicule a specific political situation through the absurd. Satire hopes to serve as a catalyst for change; irony does not. Again, when one word fits perfectly, we should refrain from
convoluting the issue further through vocabulary. Another lesson on the same site is just flatout incorrect in its definition of irony. Said lesson plan describes irony as "the contrasts between reality and people's perceptions" and "between the way people view themselves and how they are seen by others." Life is subjective; it's true. It's also true that our own self-concept is rarely based on how we are seen by others. Neither of these, however, have anything to do with irony. As an aside, the fact that such misinform-mation made it to publication on the site taints every other lesson plan presented there. How could I ever trust that any of them are factually correct? Irony: What It Is The best definitions of irony that I've found are similar, yet still miss the mark. Essentially, most good definitions note the key aspect to irony: incongruity between what might normally be expected and what actually
occurred or what actually is. Without such incongruity, the situation is not ironic. What all of these definitions still miss, however, is the most subtle and therefore most difficult aspect of irony. That subtle difference is the humor aspect, of course. Even though ironic situations are often tragic, those with a highly-developed wit recognize that they are also funny, because the incongruity of an ironic situation must be in some sense absurd or even laughable. Fred was walking home from the store. As he crossed Broad Avenue, he was hit by a speeding truck full of cabbage. He died instantly. A person being run down and killed by a truck is tragic, not funny. Contrast the above with this example: Moonbeam was walking back to the commune from the organic market. She had purchased a relatively small batch of sprouts and carrots for her evening meal. She winced as she passed the hotdog stand, her stomach
turning as she opined the fate of the poor animals who had so suffered for such a deadly and disturbing product. She lamented the masses who would die from the terminal illnesses caused by their consumption of the carcinogenic agents and saturated fats found in animals. Meat so deadly and so cruel. As she crossed Broad Avenue, she gave herself a warm inner-hug for being so enlightened in her vegan lifestyle. She was still smiling when the speeding vegetable truck ran the red light. She died instantly. Still tragic? Of course, but also hilarious and dripping with irony. Why is one an example of irony and one not? First, we must subject them to the incongruity test. When we cross the street, do we normally expect to be killed by a truck? Certainly not. Millions of people cross millions of streets all over the world every day, and rarely is anyone mowed down by a vegetable truck. So, both situations meet the test of what is expected versus what actually occurs.
Fred dies. Moonbeam dies. Both are hit on the same street by the same truck, but Moonbeam's death is ironic because she has made certain life choices about diet that Fred did not. "Huh?" Moonbeam chose to avoid meat and eat only vegetables based on the belief that this choice will prolong her life. She compliments herself in her "enlightened" perspective, and pities those who have doomed themselves to early deaths by not following her example. This absolute certainty that meat can only harm her, while vegetables will keep her safe and healthy is contrasted sharply by the absurdity of her being killed by a truck filled with her own personal "savior." Had the truck been filled with oil or curtain rods, we are back to tragic again. This demonstrates the problems with even the relatively good definitions of "irony." Without the aspect of absurdity that sharp contrast which can be so laughable the
potentially ironic simply reverts to tragedy. Summary: Why "Ironic" Isn't Most of the examples in "Ironic" don't even stand on the initial incongruity test. Morissette sings of flies in wine, rain on wedding days, and traffic that impedes your progress when things are already behind schedule. Sure, dying the day after you won the lottery would certainly suck, but dying at the age of ninety-eight is not especially unexpected. On the contrary, I would maintain that every morning a 98-yearold wakes up alive is more unexpected than the other. A situation is not ironic simply because it's a "bummer"; true irony is much more specific, much more dramatic, and to those with a sardonic wit such as mine much more amusing. The most straightforward account I've discovered as to why this song is not ironic is online. Scott provides a brief, yet accurate description as to why the song lyrics do not describe ironic situations. Scott is a bit lenient,
in my opinion, when he suggests that the song's plane crash vignette is an accurate depiction of irony. A person fearing airplanes who dies when his first flight crashes is not irony, in the true sense of the word. Remember, to be truly ironic, the situation must be profoundly absurd or even laughable. A man who fears flight and then dies when a plane crashes into his car would be an example of irony. The amazingly humorous thing about the song, of course, is that it is itself a form of irony. Writing a song about irony one which attempts to demonstrate irony that, instead, provides not one true example of irony is most ironic. And damned funny, if you ask me. Some have argued that this was intentional, that Morissette had this in mind all along as she wrote the song. While I will admit that she seems more intelligent than the average bear, Alanis has never struck me as an intellectual of any depth. I believe such a profound statement far beyond her capabilities.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content 1997 2002 David J. Downs. All rights reserved.