It is a sad and disturbing story that makes the reader stop and think. In reality, each of us is hurtling toward our own destiny in the trash chute; some of us simply have a lot more time to contemplate the results than others. The real tragedy of this story is that some other human being could actually toss a baby out with the trash. That says far too much about American society, mores, and how we treat our poor and destitute. That the only option for someone is to throw away their baby is a horrible truth to face. The viewpoint of this story makes...
It should be a wakeup call to the reader, and that is what the irony and viewpoint are all attempting to do. Wake up the reader and make them really take a good look at the world around them.
References
Wideman, John Edgar. newborn thrown in trash and dies. The American Short Story and Its Writer: An Anthology, ed. Ann Charters. New York: Bedford Books 1999. 1395-1401.
