Irony of the Unexpected

The unexpected proves to be an important theme in the short story collection, The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher by Hilary Mantel. Thematically, the unexpected is essentially a plot twist, an irony, or an unforeseen circumstance, incident, or result that occurs. The short stories of The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher are replete with the unexpected.

Irony is a major focus in many of the stories. In “Sorry to Disturb,” an ill and isolated woman finds herself the sudden friend of a Pakistani man, for she reminds him of an old flame –unlike his present wife, who has been forced into submission and silence by Islam. The woman frequently refers to the impropriety of the man’s visits, laments what has become of his wife, laments what becomes of most Muslim women, and dislikes the supreme male-dominance in society, only to turn, ironically, to her...