"Isn't it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to find it. You'll have to look at the time a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it." Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled.

"Dell," said he, "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on."

Which best describes the use of irony in this excerpt?

3. The excerpt is an example of situational irony, as Jim has sold the watch for which Della bought a chain.

Explanation:

Irony is the use of language in such a way that the intended meaning of the words is expressed through the use of another opposite expression or words. This rhetorical device presents a situation as something but what the reality is, is a much different thing.

In the given excerpt from O Henry's short story The Gift of the Magi, the scene is that of situational irony. Situational irony occurs when the expected outcome is not what happened but rather the opposite happens. Likewise, the scene is a situational irony for both the characters of Jim and Della wanted to please each other with their gifts. But both ended up selling the very thing that the other person has bought the gift for. Della sold her hair to buy a watch chain for Jim while Jim sold his watch to buy an ornamental comb for Della's hair.

Thus, the correct answer is the third option.

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