Irony

"'Oh Kathy, the great expert on real families. So sorry. But thats what it is, isn't it?'" Pg. 124

     This was one of the first times any speaker uses irony to get a point across, and it seems fitting that it would be used in an argument such as this. Throughout their days at Hailsham, the friends were always able to settle disputes in a civilized manner. I believe the subject matter of the argument and they way it was carried out have much to do with the new chapter in the Hailsham students' lives. They had moved beyond the fickle relationships of the senior years to more mutually meaningful intimacy. They were also experimenting with new behaviors and philosophies. With guardians no longer around and still in isolation, the students had to figure things out for themselves. Thus Miss Lucy's pleading makes more sense. She aimed to stimulate Tommy's thinking about his future before he had to figure things out for himself. She wanted him to wonder why they all were special and act-to break the cycle of submission