"The Drunkard" by Frank O'Connor - Irony

"I could and without difficulty. I started to get sick." This line sums up the major irony in the story. Instead of the father getting drunk, as expected, the son gets drunk. This brings humor to the story. The kid becomes a babbling fool and embarrasses his father. This is like retribution for what the father had done. Another irony is that the mother was pleased with the actions of her son. She called him a guardian angel. How could this be since he is underage and getting drunk in front of the town? It saved the Father from becoming drunk. This saves the family time and money. This irony adds to the humor of the story in that we laugh at the good fortune the boy received after he was drunk.