The word Irony refers to a literary linguistic device which is about using language to hide the real meaning of something or contradict what is expected in some situation. This means irony is about the difference between what is being said and what is really meant or between what is expected and what happens in reality. In the case of the American writer Mark Twain he is recognized for using a lot irony in his literary works an example of this can be found in the excerpt from "The Danger of Lying in Bed" as the narrator or character states in the excerpt "If I am going to travel by rail I shan't need it. Lying at home in bed is the thing I am afraid of" that lying at home is much more dangerous than traveling by rail which is not what the reader expects as the reality is that traveling by rail has multiple dangers in comparison to just lay in bed. This incongruence between what is expected and what really happens which in this case is about the reality and the opinion of the character creates a funny sense based on irony. Thus, in this excerpt the device that is being used is Irony.
