Ambiguity vs. Irony

        Ambiguity in literature offers opportunities to discover a new understanding of the way one thinks about certain topics, while irony only offers a surprise ending. For example, the text The Lady or the Tiger by Frank R. Stockton gives the reader a choice of subjecting the man to either the lady or the tiger. Depending on the choice of the reader, he might see kind and passion or hatred and barbarism in the princess, relating to themselves. This ambiguous ending allows the reader to see either the compassion or bitterness inside of themselves. Irony provides a twist ending, one the reader would not expect, however it does not offer the option of creating a personal ending based on the reader’s own mood. The mood the reader creates is the key item in the discovery of new personal emotions, a key only found in the literary element of ambiguity. Therefore, ambiguity is preferred over irony as it creates a personal attachment and a discovery of new emotions for the reader.