Irony–it's Dramatic

So, we are supposed to use some Dramatic Irony in our stories. Hmmmm, just what is it, again?

DRAMATIC IRONY: refers to a situation where the reader or viewer has information that the characters do not have. This generally leads to misunderstandings for the characters, while the reader watches and waits for the truth to be revealed.

An example:  In There’s Something About Mary, the character of Ted is questioned by police about a murder, but he thinks he’s being questioned about picking up a hitchhiker.

How do I use Dramatic Irony in my writing? Here is one example.
* Create empathy by showing a character’s vulnerability in circumstances they don’t fully understand. (In Toy Story, Buzz’s naïve misunderstanding of his own identity endears him to us. This also happens in horror movies when we know the killer is hiding in the very place a character runs to for safety.)

YA author Julie Eshbaugh covers the topic well in her post on PUB CRAWL.

FIVE WAYS TO USE DRAMATIC IRONY IN YOUR WRITING