Question

read the excerpt from flannery o’connor’s “the life you save may be your own.”
“my only,” the old woman said, “and she’s the sweetest girl in the world. i wouldn’t give her up for nothing on earth. she’s smart too. she can sweep the floor, cook, wash, feed the chickens, and hoe. i wouldn’t give her up for a casket of jewels.”
which best describes the irony of the excerpt?
○ mrs. crater asserts that lucynell can sweep, cook, feed the chickens, and hoe, but the girl also is very smart.
○ mrs. crater is describing all of her daughter’s strengths to mr. shiftlet in the hopes that he will marry lucynell.
○ mrs. crater says she values her daughter more than anything in the world, but then she gives her away for a car.
○ mrs. crater claims that she would not give her daughter away for anything, when in fact she gives her away for nothing at all.

Explanation:

Irony relies on a contrast between stated beliefs and actual actions. In the excerpt, Mrs. Crater insists she would never give up her daughter for any worldly good, including jewels. In the full story, she ultimately gives Lucynell to Mr. Shiftlet in exchange for a car, creating a clear contrast between her strong claim of valuing her daughter above all and her actual choice. The other options either state non-ironic details or misstate the story's events.

Answer:

C. Mrs. Crater says she values her daughter more than anything in the world, but then she gives her away for a car.