Review the passage. The verbal irony is shown in bold. Nowadays it is a duty for a poor peasant to be a soldier. Another reason to be proud, this being a citizen!For the poor, it consists in sustaining and preserving the wealthy in their power and their laziness. The poor must work for this. This Revolution was made by fools and idiots for the benefit of those who acquired national lands and resulted in nothing but making fortune of crafty peasants and bourgeois. The Revolution only made stronger, under the pretense of making all men equal, the empire of wealth. It has betrayed France into the hands of the men of wealth. Adapted from Anatole France,The Red Lily What is the effect of the verbal irony on the passage's meaning or tone? It indicates the speaker's approval of the poor becoming soldiers. It emphasizes the speaker's negative opinion of the French government.

## Step 1<br />The first step in understanding the effect of verbal irony on the passage's meaning or tone is to identify the instances of verbal irony. In this passage, the speaker uses verbal irony to express a view that contrasts with the literal meaning of the words. This is evident in the speaker's description of the duty of a poor peasant to be a soldier and the benefits of being a citizen.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The speaker's use of verbal irony is further evident in the criticism of the French Revolution. The speaker refers to the Revolution as being made by "fools and idiots" for the benefit of the wealthy, and not for the common people. This is a clear example of verbal irony, as the speaker is saying the opposite of what they mean.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />The final step is to analyze the effect of this verbal irony on the passage's meaning or tone. The speaker's use of verbal irony serves to emphasize their negative opinion of the French government. By using irony to express their views, the speaker is able to convey a sense of sarcasm and criticism, which adds to the overall tone of the passage.