Because according to the author's description we expect him to help Torres in his revenge, but instead he tries to talk Torres out of it.
Explanation:
In the article "Blocking the Transmission of Violence" by Alex Kotlowitz, the author tells us about Torres seeking revenge for the murder of Emilio, his nephew. He meets with Hoddenbach who was in prison at the same time that he was. The author says that he looks like an ex-military man. What is ironic about Hoddenbach's reaction to Torres's desire for revenge, is that according to the author's description of Hoddenbach we expect him to be willing to help Torres in his revenge. Zale Hoddenbach's reaction is ironic because it does not meet the expectations of the reader. He tries to talk Torres out of his purpose of revenge and uses all means possible to convince him to respect his brother's wishes of not taking revenge for the murder of Emilio. In fact, Hoddenbach is a member of an organization called CeaseFire that works to prevent shootings.
