What is the verbal irony in lord of the flies on chapter 2?

Answer 1

I'm not sure this is the one you're looking for, but soon after the chapter starts (it's on the first page of the chapter in my book) we see an example of verbal irony:

Jack broke in.

"All the same you need an army--for hunting. Hunting pigs--"

Armies aren't used for hunting (protecting from hunger, an internal threat), but for fighting other groups of people (protecting from war, an external threat). Thus, this is an example of verbal irony.

Answer 2

The irony in this instance is that Ralph had been pleading with Jack and the others to light a large fire, in the hope that a passing ship will notice the smoke and come to their rescue, from the very start of the novel. But, unwittlingly, it is Jack - the leader of the savages - who attracts the attention of a Naval warship at this late stage in the story, by setting the jungle alight, in order to flush out Ralph so that he can be killed.

Answer 3

In Chapter 2 of "Lord of the Flies," the boys insist on the importance of maintaining order and following rules, yet they quickly devolve into chaos and ignore any sense of authority. This contrast between their words and actions creates verbal irony, highlighting the boys' inability to uphold the values they claim to prioritize.

Answer 4

Irony is used to great effect a number of times in the book usually to create a feeling of sympathy or empathy for the character. Examples include.. Simon rushing to tell the other boys that he knows that there is no beast only to be mistaken for the beast and killed. And... Jack setting fire to the island in an attempt to drive Ralph from his hiding place only for the fire to attract a ship which then rescues them all, Ralph included.

Answer 5

The irony is that the fire which Jack lit with the intention of smoking Ralph out of hiding, so that he could be hunted and killed, instead set fire to the entire island and attracted a passing naval vessel. This resulted in Ralph being saved and presumably all of the remaining boys being rescued.