The Drunkard

Like Popular Mechanics, the plot of The Drunkard can be connected and tied to the experiences of the author. Growing up in Ireland, Frank O'Connor went through a similar experience during his childhood. Also, there is situational irony when the dad throws a fit when the son is drunk and making a scene. A shift and a role reversal takes place. The child acts like the adult in the situation, while the father acts like the child. There is also irony in the mother's reaction to her son's decisions made on the day of the funeral. She is happy and proud of her son for being his father's "guardian angel", even though her son is drunk and feels terrible. The mother saw his actions as taking the bullet for his father, because he knew his father's condition as an alcohol and his tendency to relapse. The father's explanation for why he drinks contains irony as well. He says that he feels embarrassed and ashamed after he has a drink, so he takes another to make himself forget. Why would he keep repeating himself and doing the same thing if it only makes him feel worse? Like the other two stories, irony is a key part that influences the overall effect and meaning of the work.