The Invalid's Story

Dramatic irony occurs in a story when the reader knows more than the characters. It is often used to create humor in a work of fiction, although it can also create horror and suspense. In “The Invalid’s Story,” the device is used for humorous and satiric purposes. The fact that the narrator is telling the story two years after the events happened lets readers in on the joke from almost the beginning. Readers know that the “coffin box” contains guns, and that the smell derives from the package of Limburger cheese that someone has placed on top of the box. However, the characters are unaware of these facts and imagine the smell to be coming from the body. Their attempts to mask the smell create a series of humorous mishaps that also puncture any Victorian sentiments the characters might feel toward death.

Personification occurs when an object or idea is given human- or animal-like characteristics. It often ascribes emotions to elements from nature, such as wind or rain, and amplifies the mood or tension in a work of fiction. In “The Invalid’s Story,” the snowstorm that rages outside the train car mirrors the frenetic events inside the car, adding to the chaotic mood; it also amplifies the tension, as the poor weather means that the characters are constantly ricocheting from one bad situation inside the train car to an equally bad one outside.