Irony is the opposite of what is and what seems to be. Harper Lee uses irony in her novel To Kill A Mockingbird on several occasions to illustrate the difference between appearance versus reality. An example of this is the cementing of the tree. Jem and Scout received many gifts from the oak tree like: chewing gum, a ball of twine, soap carvings of Jem and Scout, a spelling medal, Indian-heads, and a pocket watch. …showed first 75 words of 692 total…

…showed last 75 words of 692 total…Blacks do not have equal rights, and the whites have all the special privileges. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee she frequently uses the literary device named irony. The examples of the missionary circle, the cementing of the tree, and the lesson on democracy shows the literary device of irony being used. In all these examples, the difference between appearance and reality was evident and thus adding mystery to the novel.