Every author has a different style of writing and getting people to read it. If it’s not exciting or different you won’t want to read it. Richard Matheson’s stories leave you thinking what just happened? Did that really happen? Richard Matheson uses situational irony to get you interested in reading.
When reading Richard Matheson’s “Girl of My Dreams” situational irony is shown. For example the story is about how Carrie dreams about people and a situation they are going to encounter, her husband Greg is controlling and cruel, to where he is making these families pay money for the information Carrie dreamed. Carrie had a dream about a boy getting hit by a car; Greg wanted ten thousand dollars in cash. “”Thursday, the fourteenth!” she blurted into the mouthpiece. “Two-sixteen in the afternoon!”” (Matheson). “He emphasized each repetition of the word with another savage blow across her face.” (Matheson) Greg had killed Carrie because she gave the information to the lady that Greg wanted ten thousand in cash from, but before she died she gave greg information “Street” she whispered, “…night.” She sucked in the wheezing, blood choked breath. “Greg.” She tried to sit up but couldn’t. Her expression was becoming one of terrified concern. She whispered, “Man….razor….you oh no!”” (Matheson). Richard Matheson’s “Girl of My Dreams” in the beginning would make you think why it is like this, and wouldn’t expect Carrie to die, but yet before she dies she has a dream about Greg and dies before she can give him what day, just like he was doing to the families.
“Button, Button” Richard Matheson did the same with the Situational irony. The story was about a button that if it was pressed you would receive a payment of fifty thousand dollars but someone in the world would die. “She felt unreal as the voice informed her of the subway accident, the shoving crowd. Arthur pushed from the platform in front of the train. She was conscious of shaking her head but couldn’t stop” (Matheson). This was after she had pushed the button that her husband Arthur was against. ““My dear lady,” Mr. Stewart said, “do you really think you knew your husband?””. Richard Matheson had us thinking that they could have ended up with the money and not knowing who died, but in the end it was a shock to us to find out it was her own husband who was so against it.
These stories by Richard Matheson “ Button, Button” and “Girl of My Dreams” both prove my point of how Richard Matheson uses Situational Irony in his stories to draw the reader in and keep his stories different and keep you in shock.
