Irony Writing Assignment Directions.

Directions for the Irony Writing Assignment:

Write a 2 + page ironic paper in which you focus on a social problem that you have clear opinions about.  However, you will need to write about this social problem from the perspective of someone with the opposite viewpoint as yourself in order to create an ironic effect.  Your paper should 1) open by briefly describing the social problem you are focusing on, 2) provide a ridiculous or over-the-top solution to the problem or simply expand upon your ironic opinions about the problem, and 3) leave the reader with some final thoughts on the problem.  You will be pretending to be someone else and pushing their ideas to the point of absurdity, but your reader will understand that your real feelings are the opposite (as long as you strike a clearly ironic tone).

The two keys to success with this paper are:

1) imitating the voice of your opponent.  You should try to use as faithfully as possible the vocabulary and writing / speaking style of the character-type you are presenting.

2)  Structuring your argument so that it builds from what seems normal and acceptable to something irrational and outrageous.

Keep in mind, irony always depends upon opposite forces coming into contact.  In this paper, the voice of your character will express a message that is opposite of your true, covert message.