Question

ruled the always-icy pool like a tyrant, barking commands, dissecting every stroke, and demanding endless repetitions until our muscles trembled. \you call that swimming?!\ the hulking despot would bellow, stomping along the pools edge. one saturday afternoon before a big swim meet, a toddler wandered away from his parents in the bleachers and tumbled into the pool. we froze, stunned by the childs frantic splashes. \coach randall, do something!\ a teammate yelled. to our amazement, the usually commanding coach stood paralyzed, his face pale. \i... i cant swim,\ coach randall stammered. disbelief rippled through the team, but a swimmer quickly dove in, rescuing the child with practiced skill. the toddler was safe, but i wasnt sure the same could be said about coach randalls authority. look at the text in bold. what makes the coachs statement ironic? it is ironic because coach randall is always a stickler for following the rules, but now he is breaking them. it is ironic because coach randall is demanding and critical as a swim coach, but he is unable to swim. it is ironic because coach randall is usually brutally honest with the team, but now he is clearly lying to them. it is ironic because coach randall is usually loud and rude, but he has to be respectful in front of the toddler.

Explanation:

Irony occurs when there is a contrast between expectation and reality. A swim coach is expected to be able to swim, especially one who is highly demanding and critical of his swimmers' technique. Coach Randall's inability to swim directly contradicts the role and expectations of a swim coach, creating irony.

Answer:

It is ironic because Coach Randall is demanding and critical as a swim coach, but he is unable to swim.